A/N: Come one, come all, to another tale of the werewolf legend, Arra Griffith. Bring your friends or come alone, watch another story unfold. Do not be afraid, it is alright. Come closer now this endless night.

Yeah, I got a little bored as you could tell so I made that up. Have to entertain myself some way, right?

Happy Hunting

!Shadow!

---

The wind was on my side. It blew, ruffling the leaves that hung from the trees above the ground. The half moon hung in the sky, glowing brightly in the darkness. Stars hung around it, shining. The woods were quiet this night, too quiet in fact. This was it. The final act, the curtain call, the last scene before the play ended. But it only marked a new beginning, a sequel, an encore. A cricket chirped, the only music besides the wind. You could feel the anticipation, the preparation as the plot unraveled to reveal a new time, a new age dawning to become more than fantasy. This was not a dream but reality; a harsh, cold reality that would send a shiver down anyone's spine. But could you ever prepare for something like this? Could you ever really be ready for what the future held in store especially when you were the ringleader? I inhaled, letting the scent I needed fill my nostrils. My eyes opened and I lowered my head. The wind was on my side.

Taking slow, careful steps, I proceeded deeper into the woods, looking for my prey who had now become my enemy. The fighter I faced was full of grace, strength and agility. More than that, they were filled with an intelligence that they earned. That, my friend, is the most deadly enemy you will meet. They have seen things, been through things that made them the way they came to be. No fear lurked in this dark abyss, only anticipation. I followed the scent, tracking it to where I needed to be but I stopped just below the surface, not breaking water yet. Crouching, I waited patiently until my prey came into view. I waited until the right moment to strike. The need to prove my dominance and rank built inside. And I waited.

There he was, beautiful in all his furry glory. The wolf crept slowly, ears back, eyes alert for anything. The wind was blowing towards me so he would not catch my scent at the moment. But like life, the wind was ever changing, untamed and waited for no one. I watched the dark blond wolf scan the area, searching for me. Blue eyes were narrowed in concentration. He stalked for more than a minute and my chance came. He turned his back on me. Stupid move. I growled deep in my chest, claws digging into the earth. It was time.

Letting out a furious howl, I leaped out of my hiding spot and onto the back of my assailant. He fell to his stomach on the earth's floor, trying to get away. No fear, only the desire to win. Gripping him between my jowls, I pressed his neck and head into the ground, keeping him at bay. He tossed and turned as I put my full weight on him, his paws scrambling for something to grip. Finally, he got his feet beneath him and used all his strength to lift up so I was now off the ground. He growled, answering my challenge with his own deadliness. Throwing himself to the side, he rolled on his back with me beneath him then arched, pressing his neck more fully into my mouth and nose so I could not breathe. All I could do was release him. Instantly, he jumped to his feet, backing away from me. Baring his fangs, he warned me with a growl that said back away. I did no such thing.

I stood on my hind legs, swiping my paw at his face. He reared back, also on his hind legs at this point and brought both of his front paws towards my chest. I did the same and soon, we were snapping at each other's throats as we stood, using the other for balance, neither backing down from the battle. Fur flew but no blood was shed as we dodged one another's blows. I nipped at his nose, biting gently. He snorted then countered with a head butt, making me fly on my back. I rolled to my feet quickly, turning on my attacker as he run at me with lightning speed. Before he got to me, I crouched and leaped nearly fifteen feet in the air, twisting my body as I did so. I landed gracefully, no more than a thump heard. The way I had turned my body made me facing him once again instead of having my back to him. No self-respecting Alpha, or a smart one would ever put their back to an enemy.

I saw a plan behind his eyes, formulate in his mind. He ran at me but when he was almost there, he spun to the left and pounced at a tree. When his front paws hit, he waited. When his hind legs hit, he shoved off, flying at me, claws extended, fangs bared. He landed right beside me and grabbed my leg in his mouth, shaking his great head. I howled then bit down on his ear. He whimpered and let go the same time I did. Snarling, I whipped my tail from side to side, the hair rising on my back. The next thing I knew, claws flashed as he slashed at me. I slashed back, blocking and dodging. He lowered his upper body to the ground then shoved into my chest, knocking me to the ground and the breath out of my lungs. I shook my head and watched as he pranced around with a smug look on his face, thinking he had defeated me. Think again.

I rose up fast then tackled him to the ground, taking his moment of pride and using it against him. He was on his back with me on top and I grabbed his throat between my fangs tight enough to let him know how foolish he had been. His eyes widened because he knew. One wrong move and he would lose his ability to breathe, his life. So he stilled, tense but surrendering. Though he was a good fighter, his cockiness overruled him. He closed his eyes and submitted to my dominance. Cautiously, I released him then backed away a few steps, allowing him to roll so he was laying on his side, eyes meeting mine. The look I gave told him how dumb he had been for giving me the upper hand the way he had. He nodded his head to me but I did not do the same. I stood above him like a mountain, watching him with careful precision.

Damon took a deep breath then stood. He was confident, cocky and had too much pride when he ceased an opponent but one of the many things I have taught him was that you never, ever take a moment to rest and exult your victory if your enemy was breathing. I have taught him many things but he seems to think that he can win any battle. Welcome the the real world, son. This is no longer the hallways at school where you throw around human children. This is the world of the wolves, the way of the supernatural. This was the way of a strong Alpha, one that could maintain their status. Damon had said he was ready, wanted me to train him, wanted to be the next in line. Why was I so unsure about him now? Because his cockiness would kill him one day. Maybe this was not a good idea.

I was stepping down from my role as Alpha, feeling that my time was up and it was someone else's turn to run the Pack. In the werewolf society, it was either the second in command or the firstborn. Damon was my only child and it was his time, if he accepts and he had. But was he truly ready for something like this? He was only nineteen. But I was younger than that when I took on the role of Alpha. I shook my head and gave him another look that said he better watch himself. You could feel the anticipation coursing from his for his new duty, the preparation as the plot unraveled to reveal a new time, a new age dawning to become more than fantasy. This was not a dream but reality; a harsh, cold reality that would send a shiver down anyone's spine. But could you ever prepare for something like this? Could you ever really be ready for what the future held in store especially when you were the ringleader? I hope so because if not, I would never forgive myself. But Damon was over eighteen and no matter what he did, I could not stop his decisions. The American law was just as abiding as the werewolf law. The choice was made and it was my job as former Alpha to train him, to teach him all that I knew from my own experiences. Oh, boy, was he in for it. I glared at him, angry at his mistake that would one day send him to the slaughter.

I would teach that boy the meaning of Hell.