Chapter 17

I laid down on the bed that was provided to me, although it was nothing as luxurious as what I was used to in the palace I was still comfortable. I looked up, facing the roof which had probably been affected by the rain over the years. I was all alone and I needed to bring my thoughts together. I had been accepted here and this was my opportunity to get it right. My first goal was to figure out where my father was buried and if he had any family too. Then I can fight to get whatever he had left behind and take back what belonged to him. It wouldn't be an easy feat but I was prepared for the task. Currently, I didn't know how I was going to do that but I knew I would find a way. I would ask Laura to help me or Mascot too, even though he was grumpy and quiet most of the time. He was a good leader who didn't like to express his feelings to anyone. I just wondered how Laura had fallen for him, it was a mystery that no one could figure out. The plan was to get to make lots of friends that I could ask questions and get reasonable answers from. I heard Mascot talking about an old wise man in the clan, he was the oldest in the clan from far and wide. People called him a wizard because of what he could remember even though he was very old. 'Hello," I heard someone speaking quietly through my cracked door. I knew very well that it was Laura, since I hadn't made any friends yet. 'You can come in, Laura." I told her, without standing from my bed. 'How did you know it was me?" She asked me. 'Well, cause you're my only friend." I laughed as I sat up. 'What have you been up to?" I asked her seeing she was carrying a huge basket that was covered with a napkin. 'Well, nothing. I only brought some fruits for you." She responded, revealing the basket full of different fruits. 'For me? All of these?" 'Yes, of course." She nodded, handing them to me. 'Oh.. Thank you." I was glad. 'I wanted to show you around. That's if you're down for it." She said. She was dressed in silk like someone ready to have fun. 'I'm down, ofcourse." I wanted to use this opportunity to find out everything I should about this clan. We started with just a stroll outside my room. 'I heard about an old man who loves here too." I randomly asked. 'You mean Geston the wizard?" 'Yes." I answered, not knowing exactly who she meant but hoping it was the same person I wanted to meet. 'He is the oldest man that has ever lived. How did you hear of him?" She asked me. 'Well, he is quite famous." I answered. For some minutes, it seems we were being careful of what to say to each other. 'Where did you come from?" Laura suddenly blurted out, then paused and apologized. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way." 'No, no. Its fine. I guess you should be curious, anyway. So it's alright." I said and I could see how relaxed she became. 'Well, I'm from ice crest wolf pack, I grew up there." I was careful not to give out important information about myself. I was on a journey and I knew I had enemies too so I had to be careful about who to trust. Laura was a good person but I couldn't trust her so easily, not yet. 'I hope I answered your question?" I asked, hoping she would say yes. 'It's okay. That doesn't have much detail and you could have done better but I understand that you're being careful about who to trust. Let's get to the pack, I want to show you something." She urged me as we walked down to the park. 'There's a river there, it is said that the river makes people's wish come through? I laughed. 'Wait, you actually believe that?" 'Well, it is said that when you get close to the river, it finds out exactly what you need in your life at the moment and it shows it to you." Laura explained. 'Has that ever happened to you?" 'Yes. It did." She stopped but then continued. 'It worked with Mascot." 'You wished for him?" 'Yes." She smiled, I could see her blushing heavily. I didn't know if I could ever believe that but I nodded all the same. It was hard to argue with someone who had lived here, all her life. 'Let's go close, so you could experience it too." She dragged me to the river and then when we got to the bank, we stopped. 'Close your eyes." I watched her close her eyes and opened her hands like someone wanting to receive a gift. I did the same too. As my eyes closed, I saw a man dressed in plain T-shirt and dark jeans. In my world of imagination he was everything I could have ever dreamt of. He was a masterpiece, created by the moon goddess herself. He stared at me and at once I felt like I have never been looked at like that, ever. I could see his face, clearly. His voice resonated like magic when he called my name but his soul was burdened. 'Did it work?" Laura asked immediately I opened my eyes. 'It took a moment before you opened your eyes. So it worked right?" She was eager to hear what I had to say. 'Not really. It didn't." Laura didn't believe me. 'What did you see?" 'Nothing. Let's go." I said, dragging her along. 'I know you say something, you just don't want to tell me what you saw. Anyway, I'll find out." She promised me and I laughed. I wondered what it meant to see a werewolf in your mind's eye. Did the river actually answer my prayers? The man I saw, was he my father? Were we related in any way?