A/N: I've been adding a few details to the plot which will make a difference to the story. I would STRONGLY suggest re-reading the last chapters unless you've started to read from the 28th of April (because that was the date all the chapters were edited). Some things will literally not makes sense otherwise. Sorry and thank you :)

The sunlight lit up the woods, casting a bronze glow, making everything shimmer.

In the middle, in a grove in the soil, lay a woman curled like a foetus, her robes splayed out elegantly. Her hair was a blossoming crown of silver, the locks spread around her face like a halo. Her long eyelashes cast thin shadows, highlighting her angular face and prominent cheekbones.

Her hand was wrapped tightly around something small, a mixture of brown and fiery red. Her robes encompassed the creature, covering its bare body. Birds watched from the trees with their heads cocked as they sang their morning song, the sweet notes permeating the air.

Lykiana stirred under the warm haze and the gentle caressing breeze. Her body felt raw and achy and her bones groaned as she moved.

Sighing, she pushed her hair back and looked down at the young cub clinging onto her dress.

Gone was the sickly starved fox and its place was a healthy, radiant young boy. His long red hair reminded Lykiana much of Alepoú's hair with its twirling red flames and golden shimmer. His face was restored to its healthy browned complexion and his bones no longer protruded out of his skin.

She sat up and glanced around. Clearly, that circle of Dark Magic had been the cause for all the death and decay as now, everything was... normal.

Those skeletal trees that had seemed so sinister were now healthy and vibrant and it seemed like the entire environment had been re-sculpted to a lush perfection. The only sign was the barren circle of land that replaced where the circle of Dark Magic once was.

Her body groaned in protest as she stretched out her aching muscles. She had never felt such pain before, especially when channelling her constellation's powers. It must be the mortal body she decided. The mortal body was not equipped to deal with the magnificence of a Star's power.

Running her hands gently through the boy's hair, she nudged him awake until she felt him stirring from his deep slumber. Sleepily, he stretched, his body shaking with the effort and he collapsed back into her arms, content.

"Child", Lykiana whispered tenderly. "It is time to wake up".

The boy murmured a sleepy response and nuzzled back into her chest. Despite the stiff pain coursing through her body, Lykiana found there was a small smile on her face. Spirits were meant to be aloof, distant. The only form of companionship they could form was the deep bond with their sacred companion and now that Eros was gone, she had felt void of any semblance of warmth.

This boy sat curled in his arms without any care for who the woman holding him was. Would he be scared of her when he woke up? Lykiana looked nothing like the people of the fox and her astray subjects had caused much terror for all other animals.

Maybe she could let him sleep a while longer. Lykiana gazed around as she absentmindedly stroked the boy's cheek. There was no hint of Dark Magic left and in its void was life. Vibrant and beautiful life.

From the great war during the Dark Reign, she remembered how one circle of Dark Magic was cast in every territory. Perhaps this was also the case this time and the entire fox territory would now be free from the evil taint of Dark Magic. Either way, using her constellation's powers had left a faint hum of light bathing everything as far as she could see. It would act as a barrier, at least for a while.

Feeling her legs turn numb and lifeless, she shifted and noticed that there was a fine layer of soil coating her robes and legs. Had she been sleeping for long? This mortal body really was confining her, damning her. How was she supposed to fight back against an entity of evil whilst being mortal? The great war had been difficult enough when she had her Spirit form but now she was human and alone. There were no other Spirits on the Earthly realm to be of assistance.

Cursing, she stretched out her legs and dusted the dirt off her robe. It was time to move. Too much time had been wasted.

Lykiana shook the boy gently with urgency and he stirred under her touch before groggily opening a set of wide hazel eyes.

"What?" He croaked, panicked. He frantically looked around the clearing before looking up at Lykiana in a mixture of shock and fear. "Who- who are you?"

"Do not worry, child", Lykiana soothed. "I am Lykiana, the Spirit of the Wolves. I am not here to harm you but to keep you safe. It is time for you to return to your family".

The boy looked at Lykiana with a whirlpool of emotions. He felt conflicted, sitting so close to the Spirit whose animals had terrorised the foxes for as long as he could remember. But she had saved him. Why would she save him if only to hurt him?

"What happened?" He asked, frightened.

"There has been something evil plaguing our lands and sadly, it caught hold of you. But you are safe now, it shall never come again".

His shaky hands clutched onto her garment and he looked down.

"I remember", he said, his voice trembling with fear. "I can remember it all. It took me, stole me away and kept me in the dark. I was so cold and so hungry. There were these hands that grabbed onto me from every direction and their skin was blistering cold. It would sizzle my body and with every touch, it felt like my soul was being sucked out by a powerful force".

He looked up to Lykiana, eyes heavy with tears, the liquid flowing out of his eyes and dripping onto Lykiana's robes.

"You saved me", he cried uncontrollably. "There was this silver light that pierced through the darkness. It was you. I can still see the light around you now".

He hung onto her clothes and wept and wept, his tears soaking through Lykiana's robes. Lykiana stroked his back softly and he flinched under her unexpected touch.

"You see these hands?" She asked the boy. "They are warm. They are full of life. They are human. You have nothing to fear now. Take my hands".

The boy hesitantly did so after a little coaxing, wrapping his small hands around her slender one. He looked up at her with wide, watery eyes.

"If you wish, I can take it all away. I can make you forget every little pain and you could sleep, free of all darkness and misery".

The boy stilled and wiped his tears away with the back of his clenched hands. He turned to her in earnest. "I want to forget. I want to forget so badly. But I am one of the fortunate ones, aren't I?"

"What do you mean, child?" Lykiana asked, confused.

"Many children have been taken from their homes, it doesn't matter what kind of animal you are. I overheard my father say that no child has returned, once taken".

Lykiana stared at him with a mixture of horror and despair. "Children?" She choked out.

"Yes, children", he responded in confusion.

Lykiana quickly masked her surprise. She didn't want this young boy to panic when he found out that even she, a great Spirit, knew nothing about the kidnapping of children. Her stomach churned with unease. She had to put a stop to this before any more innocent lives were claimed.

"Could you take away the feeling but leave the memories?" The boy asked a little shyly. "I don't want to ever forget how fortunate I was that the Spirit of the Wolves saved me. I want to remain forever grateful and indebted to you".

"Of course, gennaía (brave one). Close your eyes for me". He closed his eyes and tipped his head back slightly. Lykiana pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. She felt the wind rustle wildly around her and when she opened her eyes again, she was in the empty blackened landscape that was his consciousness.

The boy whimpered and clung to the side of her robe.

"Don't be scared, gennaía", Lykaina comforted. "We must tackle the source to ease the pain".

He nodded resolutely but held on even tighter. Then the landscape seemed to be impossibly even darker in one corner so she followed that route with the young fox. He had tried to act brave but she could feel his trembles and anxiety radiating from him in waves.

"Gennaía, we must be brave", she said gently. "The darkness feeds on fear and I will protect you no matter what. Come".

He finally looked out from the comfort of her robes and looked on ahead in fear. "It is so dark", he whispered anxiously.

"Well, then, focus on my light", she replied. "See how it illuminates the area around us. See how the darkness fears me. Nothing will harm us".

He swallowed deeply and they kept on walking.

Every step they took further into his consciousness, the darker it got. Even though Lykiana had disrupted and destroyed the circle of Black Magic, it seemed to have wormed its way in deeply.

Then she stopped suddenly. The passage had tightened to the point where they could no longer walk side by side but ahead had widened to a large spacious area. In the middle lay a creature who hissed and wheezed, a blacker than black malicious being.

"Is that thing inside me?" The cub asked, horrified.

"Apparently so". Lykiana frowned. She was right. Dark Magic had evolved to a point she could not even imagine. Never had she thought that it was capable of something like this, that it could take root so deep.

Kalos did not have such a creature living inside of him so it must be that the circle allowed the magic to act as a parasite and take over the child. Maybe the creature was supposed to live inside the child until the boy weakened and died and a new monster would be born.

She would have to be gentle so as to not hurt the boy. Casting a barrier of light around the child, she sent a flutter of what looked like shining flecks of snow, drifting through the air and landing on top of the beast. It howled in agony, writhing in anguish as its skin sizzled and melted under her powers.

Lykaina closed her mind and mapped out the darkness. Starting from the top, she spread her light, the warmth seeping from every corner like an ocean. Whatever her light touched was cleansed, until finally, the gushing sea of light came crashing down on the creature.

When the tide receded, nothing was left.

The cub gasped in wonder as he gazed around. The blackness was gone, obliterated, and its place was the warmth of light.

Lykaian held onto his hand and released his forehead from hers and he opened his eyes back on the Earthly realm in amazement.

She looked at the child in concealed worry. If he had never asked her to take away the pain, she would never have explored his consciousness and realised what resided in him. His pure courage saved him from that creature growing stronger and stealing his life. She would have failed him, saved him only to let him die again. Lykiana was not prepared for this level of evil of Dark Magic. She felt exposed, naive and vulnerable.

"Thank you", he said shyly, the wonder in his voice apparent.

"There is no need to thank me", Lykaian replied restlessly. "I do not serve as a Spirit for only my people. I serve for every being too".

He surprised her by suddenly wrapping his arms around her tightly and resting his head against her chest. She glanced down at him, first in shock and then in reluctant acceptance and wrapped her arms around him.

This sensation... It was nice. She had never felt something like this before, such close comfort and affection. It was warm, endearing and soothing all whilst making her heart heavy. Feeling the pain in her chest grow as she recalled the only comfort she had - could ever have - in her life, Eros, her soul companion, she quickly stood before her human emotions bested her.

"Come, gennaía", she said. "Let's take you home".

Hi there.

I am terribly sorry for not updating in ages. 

I have re-written the chapters and added significant changes to the plot as well as editing and more fixing.

If anyone confused, ask away.

I've actually really missed writing this story, there is this level of intricacy and storytelling that is exclusive to this book.

Question for Today:

If you were a wolf, what colour would your fur be?

My updates will be weekly from now on so see you again next week :))