# Moon's Shadow (Prologue) Author: Rtlstien Tags: Character Development, Fantasy, Human, Science, Story Series, Werewolf #1 of Moon's Shadow   "It's been confirmed" a voice echoed over the intercom.  "Our latest subject has expired."   "I see..." a female voice replied in a hushed tone. "Three years, four months, twenty-five days... seven hours... he's lasted the longest so far..."   "Yes.  If the trend continues the next one may live up to three and a half years."   The other voiced remained silent for a moment.  "He'll be ready in nine months."   "Understood." The voice said before the intercom went silent.    An elderly woman sighed as she stood up from her seat.  She walked along the wall, tracing it with her right hand.  She stopped when she felt a familiar shift.  She pressed her hand in and backed up a few feet.  She watched as the dull white wall shifted in place and sunk into the floor.  She looked down.  It took a moment for the stairway below to be illuminated by the lights.   She carefully walked down the stairway.  Recently, it had become harder and harder for her to do this.  She opened the door at the bottom.  A burst of cool air escaped as the door cracked open.   She had to take a few steps forward before the motion sensor illuminated the chilled room.  A large glass tube was at the center of the room.  From it ran many wires on both the floor and ceiling.  She approached a computer which hadn't been turned on in over three years.   With a press of the button the screen illuminated.  The systems started to hum all around her and the tube in the center started to fill with a transparent liquid.  She watched it fill up completely before she approached a large metallic container in the corner of the room.   Behind the door were dozens of vials filled with many shades of red.  Each was labeled by date.  She took out the vile she had filled not even a month ago.  Its contents were bright and rich.    She went back to the tube.  She injected the contents of the vial into the tube.  She watched as the red liquid flowed in with the transparent liquid.  The two didn't mix though.  Instead the red liquid gathered at one spot.  It formed a sphere that just bobbed at the center.   She sat down and faced the monitor.   Subject Name?   She pressed only three keys.   21L   ------------------------------  Meanwhile in the forest village of Sonir, a small celebration was unfolding.   Shadow, his name given to him because of his pitch black fur, was celebrating his 250th moon cycle.  Using the sun cycle he would be nineteen years, two months old.  By rite he was now able to venture pass the safety of the forest.  Every member of the village was granted this rite, but very few acted upon it.   The village of Sonir was a neutral village on the border of two warring nations.  To the west was the human nation of Lomia.   It was technologically more advanced than its eastern neighbor, but was a smaller nation with a smaller army.   To the east was the nation of Ruqi.  It is filled with a variety of different species, each with its own name.  They've been coined the term "Furries" or "Furs" for short.  Ruqi is the largest nation on the continent.  It has the largest and most diverse army.   The villagers of Sonir were wary about venturing outside the forest.  They weren't well liked by either nation because of their reputation.   They had many names; Werewolves being the most popular.  They were feared by the humans and looked down upon by the Furs. They were seen as nothing more than being half-breeds.  They wouldn't be able to live in either society.   However... there was one particular item that gave the werewolves the freedom to move about.   Shadow opened his present from his mother, his only family.  He couldn't believe what was inside the box.  He picked it up to make sure he wasn't dreaming.  A carved stone; white on one side and black on the other.  There was no doubt that this was moonstone.  He looked at his mother.  Moonstone was extremely rare to find.   "How...?" Shadow asked.   "It was your father's.  He found it when he was young."   Shadow didn't know much about his father.  He died before Shadow was even fifty moons old.  He couldn't believe that it had belonged to his father, and that his mother had kept it all this time. She had a hard time raising Shadow by herself.  The two of them could have been set for life if she had sold the stone.   "Your father wanted me to give this to you when the time came." His mother said with a nostalgic smile.  "He said you'd be happier being able to explore the world than live a life of luxury."   Shadow remained silent and just stared at the stone.  It was polished so smoothly he could almost see his reflection on it.  "He said that?"  Shadow chuckled.  "I was so young and he already knew what I'd want?"   "Your father could see what kind of a man you'd grow up to be."   "Oh yeah?" Shadow asked, leaning back in his chair.  "How?"   His mother laughed.  "You were a wild child.  You couldn't sit still for more than a minute. You didn't listen to me or your father, and the exploring.  Oh my, the exploring!"  She covered her eyes with her hand.  "When no one was looking you'd wander around the village or go off into the woods.  And then your father would have to go and bring you back."  His mother went silent.  "He knew one day he wouldn't be able to bring you back... I just didn't think it would be that soon..."  She looked at Shadow.  "I didn't think this time would come so soon either."  Her eyes started to tear up.   Shadow stood up.  "Hey, I'm not going anywhere yet." His mother seemed surprised.  Shadow held the stone out to his mother.  "What did you gain for holding onto this for so long?  Nothing!  With this I can give you the life that you could have had so many years ago."   "Shadow!  You can't mean you're going to sell it!?" his mother asked with panic in her voice.   "Sell it!?  Of course not!  But I am going to use it to our advantage!"   ============================= So this idea has been lingering in my head for a while now.   Not sure if I should continue   What do you think? Source: https://sofurry.com/s/pnG3KB7n Part of the series Moon's Shadow Next: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/404443-moon-s-shadow-crimson-moon.md