Women are werewolves

It was late afternoon when Candice left the house. Her father had seen her to the door. There was a worried look on his face.

“Are you sure you’re ready?” He asked for the hundredth time.

“Of course,” Candice said. Despite her confident facade, she felt her anxiety gnawing at the back of her mind. She knew the broad strokes of what would happen tonight, but was still unsure if it would work.

Would she be able to transform into a werewolf? 

All the women in her family had been able to transform, and while she had not been born a woman, Candice knew deep down that she was one.

“Alright, I believe in you.” Her father smiled and hugged her. “Good luck and happy hunting.” He said before hurrying back inside, bolting the door behind him. 

“Well, it’s now or never,” Candice muttered as she walked away from her grandmother’s home. 

She trudged into the field behind her grandmother’s home. 

It had been years since she had last been here and almost just as long since she had seen most of her family. 

While there had been a few slip ups here and there, her family was trying their best not to say her old name. She felt good to be called Candice.

Some of her still didn’t believe that her stodgy grandmother was letting her undergo the family’s rite of passage.

She stepped out into the field, and her bare feet sank into the muddy earth. Mud gushed uncomfortably between her toes as she proceeded.

Now, I know why they told me not to wear any shoes. Candice continued stomping through the muddy field toward a small campsite located at the rear of the property. 

When she was younger, she had always wondered what happened during her family’s moon blood ritual. She still remembered sitting among her male relatives and waiting for the women to return from their night of hunting. If she closed her eyes and concentrated hard enough, she could still remember how happy they all looked the next morning. Even before she fully understood who she was, she had always felt envious of them.

The breeze picked up and cut through her cloak. She shivered as the damp evening air seeped into her skin.

“I wish they had let me wear more than just this cloak and gown.” She grumped as she continued. “But it’s not like I will need this all night.”

Candice reached her destination after a few more agonizing minutes of hiking across her grandmother’s field.

She recognized all of the people gathered outside of the woods.

At the far edge of the campsite was her Grandmother June, the matriarch of her family. Next to her were her two aunts, Beatrice and Alice, and her mother, Sylvia. 

Candice felt more at ease as her gaze wandered among her cousins and extended family members. While many of them were older than she was, Candice recognized a few of her younger cousins among her collected family members.

“Good evening, Candice.” Her grandmother June said; there was a slight pause as her grandmother said her name.

I see she’s still not used to it.

“Good evening Grandma. Thank you for letting me participate tonight.” Candice winced as her voice cracked. 

Her grandmother said nothing; she just stared at Candice.

Her mother smiled and came to greet her. “I’m glad you came, Sweetie.”

Candice felt her mouth reflexively curl into a smile. “Thanks, Mom.” She shivered as the breeze picked up. “I’ve been looking forward to doing this.”

“Well, don’t just stand there; come over to the fire. We will still need it for a while longer.” Her aunt Beatrice waved for Candice to come closer.

Candice nodded and approached the fire. 

Its warmth felt good on her skin. She stood and bathed in the heat of the fire.

“So, how does this all work?” Candice asked her mother.

“Well, first, you and the other new cubs will anoint yourselves with that.” Her mother pointed to one set of cousins. They had removed their cloaks and were painting themselves with a sticky red substance.

“Is that-” Candice asked worriedly.

“Yes, it’s blood.” Her mother answered.

Candice stared at her mother, a worried look on her face. 

“Oh, but don’t worry, it’s only deer blood.” Her mother explained once she realized the distressed look on her daughter’s face. “Your father purchased it from Mr. Morris earlier today. As a reminder, we have not harmed men during our moon blood ritual in over a century.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, you can always return to the house and wait with the men,” Grandma June said bitterly. “I’d hate for you to ruin our impressive track record.”

Candice didn’t appreciate her grandmother’s tone.

“What about after that?” Candice asked.

“Well, the moon will rise, and we will step back and let you all transform. Expect it to be a bit painful initially, but we can teach you how to control it. It becomes something you feel rather than something that tries to overtake you. After that, we will let you all go into the forest and catch something.”

“What should I catch?”

“Anything is fine. You can grab something like a boar or deer.” Her mother stopped and looked Candice in the eyes. “Just to be sure, you want to go through this? Remember, blood moon or not, you will always be a woman in my eyes.”

Candice took her mother’s hands and smiled. “Mother, I want to go through this.” She paused. “I need to go through this. I want to be a part of the tribe. I know I am a werewolf!”

Aunt Beatrice stood and crossed the small campsite. “Will it help you feel more like yourself?”

“I hope so,” Candice said, staring into her aunt’s bright blue eyes.

“Then that’s all the reason for us to try.” Aunt Beatrice turned to face Grandma June. “Lighten up, Mother; it’s not like Candice is the first late bloomer in our family.” 

Aunt Alice nodded. “Remember when Grandma Jackie transitioned and underwent on her first moon blood? She was almost 66 when she did.”

Grandma June scoffed and turned her gaze toward the sky. “We have maybe an hour before the moon rises. Cubs, prepare yourselves for the hunt!”

Candice nodded and waited until it was her turn.

When it was her turn, her cousin Rebecca skipped over to her with a small pot of blood in hand. “It’s good to see the real you, Candice,” Rebecca said. “Want me to anoint you?”

“Sure,” Candice said, her hands fumbling with the clasp as she removed her cloak. 

It felt strange to have blood painted on her. She was certain her classmates would never believe her if she told them the details.

“What do you think?” Her cousin Rebecca held a mirror up and let her examine the markings. 

Rebecca had patterned her face to look like a grey wolf.

“I love it!” Candice said, a sense of elation swelling in her chest.

At sunset, she and the other cubs were instructed to head into the forest.

Candice calmly walked into the forest until she could no longer see the campfire.

As she waited for her Lycan spirit to awaken, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

I will do this. I am a werewolf.

She heard the painful screams of her family members echo in the distance as they changed. I am a werewolf. Let me hunt. Please, let me transform. She continued to stand there and wait for the spirit of Lycan to awaken inside of her. 

“What am I doing wrong?” Candice muttered to herself. I know I’m a woman; why am I not transforming? What am I missing? Is it because I haven’t been on hormones for long enough? She took a deep breath and sighed. Maybe I am better off trying next year.

Candice was about to give up when it struck her. The sensation cut through her like a hot knife. 

Candice doubled over in pain as her body began to change. She ripped the gown from her body. Candice shrieked as her skin tore and slough off her body as patches of bloody fur emerged. Her bones cracked and reformed as she shifted into a werewolf. Her teeth tumbled from her mouth as pearly fangs replaced them.

Candice released an eager howl as her transformation finished. Without hesitation, she raced into the forest. Everything smelled new and exciting as she began her hunt.

She sprinted over boulders and tore through bushes, hungry for anything she could find. 

After racing through the unfamiliar woods, Candice stopped and sniffed the air. Something enticing was in the air.

Drool leaked from her lips as she turned and gave chase, following after its trail of fear. 

After following her prey for nearly a mile, Candice emerged from the bushes and found she had cornered a young moose. 

It was slightly larger than she was and desperately crying for its parents. 

Candice stalked closer, ready to strike, when something impossibly large burst from the bushes and collided with her. 

She slammed into a tree and stared up at a massive bull moose. The creature positioned itself between her and her prey.

Candice screamed at the moose and leaped at it.

The protective moose slashed at her with its antlers. She felt blood run down her arms and chest as her foe’s horns tore into her.

She dodged around her and slashed at its side. One of her razor sharp talons cut through the moose’s tough hide. It screamed in pain and pressed its attack. Its hooves bashed against her limbs in an attempt to crush her, but Candice continued to fight.

She wrestled with the beast until she repositioned herself on its side. Candice opened her jaws wide and bit into the moose’s neck. Warm blood flowed into her mouth and activated something inside her.

Her prey screamed again and thrashed desperately to dislodge her, but Candice refused to let go. She wrapped her arm around the beast’s neck and used her claws to tear into its flank. 

Finally, the moose conceded and collapsed from exhaustion. 

Candice released her grip on the moose and howled in victory.

She mustered her remaining strength to drag the beast’s carcass back to the campsite. 

She emerged from the forest a few hours from dawn. 

Candice scanned the gathered crowd and approached her grandmother. She dropped the massive creature near the fire.

Grandma June approached her and studied her prize. “Good work, Candice.” Her normally stern expression softened into a subtle smile. “Welcome to the pack, granddaughter.”