CHAPTER TWO

As Aurora navigated this newfound existence and discovered that there were fellow werewolves like her, had the same experiences as her and passed through what she also passed through.

They formed a tight-knit community, offering guidance and support as she learned to harness her new powers.

"we're here for you, to protect you, support you and guide you," said Luna, the head of the gang.

As the full moon reached its zenith in the sky, Aurora howled, her voice a primal call echoing through the forest.

"My rebirth is complete, but the path ahead is uncertain and I am yet to learn the true powers of the werewolf within me" Aurora told Luna with feelings mixed with fear and confusion.

As Aurora stood in the forest, the echoes of her howl lingered in the night, proclaiming a declaration of her rebirth and the powers she now possessed.

But the forest and the other packs of werewolves were not the only witness to her transformation. Unseen and unknown, an evil entity had taken note.

A creature had hidden amongst the twisted trees, the crimson eyes of this creature glowed with sinister intent.

This shadowy figure had watched Aurora with hungry anticipation, it had discovered her reawakening and recognized an opportunity.

Scared and unsure of what she had seen, Aurora walked towards where the figure stood and softly asked "hello!, who's there?".

The figure knows about Aurora and the curse that had plagued Aurora's bloodline for generations, the creature also had its own twisted agenda.

Aurora's heightened sense alerted her to the presence of an intruder and with her keen eyes piercing through the shadow, she spotted the gleam of those malevolent crimson eyes.

"Who's there?, I repeat!" Aurora growled, her voice now very high and mixed with anger.

Though it hesitated, the monster remained hidden. Instead, it retreated deeper into the darkness, leaving behind a trail of evil.

Aurora felt as though she was being led into a trap as she continued to go deeper into the forest in search of the monster she had seen.

She finally reached a dense thicket and as she got closer, she discovered that it had an ancient stone altar with enigmatic symbols, scattered bones and offerings.

It was a place of rituals, a place that had not seen the light of the day in centuries.

As she tried to react, she was ambushed by a bunch of creatures that came out from the shadows. They were not like her, not werewolves, but something far more evil.

They surrounded her with their eyes as red as blood, their very sharp claws and an aura of evil and malevolence.

One of them growled, with its voice dripping venom "you'll serve our master!" it said.

Before Aurora could respond, they all came together and launched an attack. Even though she fought back with all her newly acquired strength and powers, the situation was not in her favor as she couldn't overcome them. They were prepared and ready as they anticipated her every move.

Just as she was about to be overwhelmed, a blinding flash of light erupted from the stone altar which made these creatures retreat and flee.

The forest became calm and an ethereal figure clothed in moonlight appeared before Aurora.

It was Otis, the creatures were forced to flee because of his presence. "Aurora, you're not alone in this journey" he said calmly, "but you must be careful, dark forces are drawn to the power you possess and would do anything to have it within their reach" he further said and they both wandered in the forest.

With Otis's protection and guidance, Aurora was determined to uncover the truth about her ancestry and true nature of the rebirth.

The force from those creatures from earlier even though it was on hold, was still bent on gaining control over Aurora.

As they both journeyed in the forest, Aurora wasn't feeling too comfortable as she tried to explain her feelings to Otis.

"I feel like I'm being overwhelmed and overpowered, I feel so weak inwards," she said to the hermit, Otis.

"That must be from those evil creatures that attacked you earlier, they are drawn to your powers and would do anything to get control over it" Otis explained.

As the moon hung low in the sky casting an eerie glow over the ancient trees, Aurora could feel the weight of destiny upon her.

Her rebirth was more than simply a change in herself, it was the secret to a power that had been sought after for ages.

Aurora's bloodline had been burdened by a curse for many years according to legends surrounding the rebirth.

Her rebirth had spoken of secrets buried deep in the forest, secrets that would unlock the true nature of the curse that had plagued Aurora's bloodline for generations.

"I'll take you to a place that has awaited your presence for ages, this place will open your eyes and reveal what has been hidden from you for ages" Otis told Aurora as he is about to take her to a place to unveil knowledge guarding the rebirth and the curse on her bloodline.

"We must first cleanse this area and make sure it is void of unclean, evil spirit" Otis said and made Aurora fall into a deep sleep as he performed the cleansing ritual.

Otis performed the ritual and made Aurora wake up.

"What happened?I thought I had died," Aurora said as she woke up.

Otis led her to an ancient, gnarled tree. Its roots tangled with secrets and its branches looked like skeletal fingers.

In the moonlight, the tree's barks looked as though it were engraved with odd patterns and symbols.

"what do these symbols and patterns mean"? Aurora asked Otis desperately, wanting an answer.

" Here", Otis muttered, "this tree has stood for many years, guarding the knowledge of the rebirth. The curse is not without purpose and it is your destiny to unravel its mysteries" Otis said.