Chapitre 3

SATURDAY OF THE 9TH MOON COUNT:

All was peaceful on the way to the northern camp. Some animals that came out of their burrows at night kept me company as the moon slowly moved across the sky. The closer I got to the goal, the more smells intertwined with the tracks of the forest, all of them wolf. Excitement slowly mingled with the calm that had reigned in me.

Dawn was approaching and fresh mist was floating between the tree trunks. The trees slowly cleared and I recognized a new landscape. I broke out of the forest into a field where a simple dirt track could be seen.

Hundreds of smells were in the air and not a single one seemed familiar. My wolf got a little uneasy at the realization of where we were going. Completely alone among hundreds of wolves.

She didn't like the idea one bit, and neither did I.

I stroked my short hair as if it might give me security. i was a man i was a man If I told myself enough times, maybe others would believe it. As I followed the trail across the flat landscape, I adjusted the bag over my shoulder.

I wish I could have eaten my mother's cookies right now, but I wanted to save them for a particularly bad day. Hopefully I would never need the dagger.

The sun slowly rose on the horizon and the smells intensified. All led to a place away from the forest and any civilization. This had to be the northern edge. A light flickered in the distance. Beige tents were pitched behind them, while one flew a blue flag. I exhaled tensely.

It was so far.

I dug the scroll out of my pocket and clutched it in a death grip. I slowly recognized people in green uniforms. I felt new eyes on me. My heart was racing in my chest as if to turn around and sprint home.

What if they recognized me?

My steps were steely towards the camp, untroubled by the thoughts racing in my head. A warrior stood at the entrance. His hands were clasped behind his back as he looked me up and down from afar. Dislike sparkled in his green eyes.

Unlike my heart, his was beating hard and regularly. I stopped in front of him, half a head shorter and a few inches narrower.

I swallowed.

The warrior looked reluctantly from me to a list he held in his hands.

"Surname?"

"Van Eschwald," I said in the deepest voice my throat could reach. I handed him the scroll. He compared both scrolls before looking down at me again.

"First name?"

My eyes widened for a moment and my heart skipped a beat. dana If I said that, it would be over with me before I could say war. Thoughts raced in my head.

"Uh, Dan."

The warrior raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, Dan?" he asked, eyeing me sharply. My vocal cords were clenched with fear, so I just nodded in agreement. The warrior exhaled and shook his head in disapproval. Nonetheless, he began jotting down his list with a quill pen.

While he was busy I surveyed the camp behind him. Everywhere new soldiers strode in their everyday clothes, some in laughing groups, others alone. I dug my fingers into the shirt I was wearing before the soldier called for my attention again.

"All right, Dan. I'm assuming you don't have any brothers?"

I just nodded before he frowned. He leaned further forward as if he couldn't see everything with his eyes. But the intimidation worked.

"There's something odd about her," he stated.

A reservoir accumulated in my mouth while my stressed heart could not rest. The warrior came even closer to me and his gaze bored into my innermost being. I couldn't hide the fear on my face anymore.

"What are you hiding, Dan?"

"I-uh..."

I couldn't stare into those eyes anymore. I looked down, but the pressure didn't let up. I had to say something, but what?

"As of today, you're a soldier, so if you're asked a question, you'll kindly answer."

The voice was ice cold, as was the shiver that made my hair stand on end. Cold sweat trickled out from under my shirt.

"I..." I began, my voice getting quieter. "I don't have a wolf."

The warrior leaned back abruptly. His eyebrows shot up to the middle of his forehead. For a moment he was lost for words. I eagerly awaited the anger, the insults.

"If so..."

The warrior didn't seem to know how to react himself. Apparently nothing like this had ever happened to him before. But everyone had heard about the myths as puppies. Werewolves born during a lunar eclipse did not carry a wolf within them. He picked up his pen again and scribbled something on the list.

"All right, Dan. Go around the tent to the big square. Everyone gathered there. Hurry up, it's about to start."

I breathed a sigh of relief before I passed the camp entrance. The first hurdle was over. Like a hum, I approached the voices lying behind a large tent. With quick steps I scurried over the dry ground, which had been trampled flat by countless other shoes.

The smells blended into an unrecognizable mess. My breath caught in my throat when I saw the big square. Hundreds of heads were turned towards me. Their tracks lay all over the place and I wrinkled my nose.

They all stared at the tent in front of them, with the blue flag bobbing in the wind. I swallowed as I continued walking towards the crowd. Most were taller than me, only here and there someone was my size. Some talked, but most stared ahead in silence and tension.

Suddenly the curtain of the tent rustled aside and Delta Ivan emerged, a large wolf with black hair. But he wasn't alone. Another wolf came out behind him and my heart stopped in shock.

Blonde hair was slicked back severely while hands were clasped behind her back. His alert, brown eyes examined each one and I would have liked to hide, but I couldn't look away. The blood in my veins began to tingle and my wolf became restless.

"Hey, did I miss something?"

I almost let out a surprised squeak when a hand tapped my shoulder. I jerked around. How had I not heard the hasty footsteps behind me? In front of me was a large wolf who appeared to be about my age.

His build was athletic and his blue eyes sparkled kindly at me. He wasn't out of breath, but his heart was beating faster. I returned a small smile and cleared my throat.

"No, nothing has been said yet," I replied. The wolf held out his hand and I immediately took it. He shook it vigorously.

“By the way, I'm Lukas, but you can call me Luke. Nice to make your acquaintance."

Some of my fear evaporated as Luke's enthusiasm spilled over me.

"I'm, uh, Dan. I'm happy too," I replied, audibly relieved. My camouflage seemed to be working well.

Suddenly all conversation stopped and I felt a tingling gaze on the side of my head. I turned to the tent and froze at the brown-eyed General's look. They were so intense that I wanted to take a few steps back. His eyebrows were drawn together. My heart started pounding in my throat.

"Hey, everything alright Dan?" Luke asked next to me, breaking the spell. I averted my gaze and nodded vigorously. Only when I looked ahead did I notice that the soldier from the entrance was also standing in front with his list and seemed to say something to both of them.

"Listen!"

All movement stopped immediately and everyone froze at Delta Ivan's voice before he continued. My gaze instinctively went to the wolf next to him. The sun's rays made his golden strands shine. As if hearing my thoughts, he turned his head in my direction. My breath froze as he stared into my soul.

"It is a great honor for you to be here to be trained as warriors for the pack. Alpha Udyr himself gave this order. From today on you are soldiers!"

Delta Ivan's voice shook the morning air. He stepped back and the wolf broke his gaze from me and stepped forward. His presence filled the whole place, although he hadn't spoken a single word. A tingling gripped my stomach and my instincts ran wild. My eyebrows shot up towards the sky of their own accord.

Could he...?

"You are here to protect your families, your parents and siblings, the old and the young! Soon you will be carrying heavy responsibilities on your shoulders for our pack and our territory! And so that you're ready and don't collapse under the pressure, I'll train you!"

His deep voice thundered all over the place and sent goosebumps down my spine. He must have been in the military all his life. His keen gaze studied each of us and lingered on me for an awkward second.

"I'm General Astor!"

"Astor."

I almost repeated it just to try this unusual name for myself. His eyes swept disparagingly over the crowd, but this time he ignored me.

"The first seven days in the camp is also called the week of hell! Here we will test your skills and then divide you into different classes! You'll get up at 5:00 a.m. and walk around the lake in the forest."

Get up at 5 o'clock? Everything in me resisted the idea. Inside I felt resistance, but I didn't dare to express it. Everyone else seemed to feel the same way.

“After that you will salute in a row here on the square. Breakfast is at 6:00 am! In front of you you can see the dining tent! After that you will train according to Delta Ivans and my instructions!"

Then the wolf who had checked the names at the entrance stepped forward. General Astor put a hand on his shoulder.

"This is Edgar. He is my right hand man and you will respect him as much as I do! For the first week you will sleep in the big tents! Spread out, take off your things, put on your new uniform and salute here on the square!"

Before we could move, Delta Ivan stepped forward with a list in hand.

"Stop!" he called before looking us over again. "Where's Dan van Eschwald?"