SILVER WOLF

Misty morning, a sleepy forest with many yellow and orange leaves everywhere, a narrow trail divided high birch trees.

A lone grey wolf was sauntering on the trail towards high castle walls in the distance.

A familiar old oak tree nearby cold water spring. Water from spring was crossing the trail creating the most beautiful waterfall over a fascinating cliff. Wolf stopped at the spring and started to drink slowly.

Suddenly barn owl appeared on a broken branch. The owl blinked a few times, looking at the wolf with the silver necklace around the neck, and asked:

"Is that you, Moonlight Eye?"

The silver wolf raised his head and looked back into the barn owl.

"Yes, it's me, Night Watcher."

"I can see that you found a silver necklace holding her in a fairy prison.

It was many years ago when you went on the mission to release her from prison."

"True." Sadly responded Moonlight Eye.

"It took me so many years to make it. Finally, I'm back.

Do you know anything about her? Is she alive?"

"Yes - she alive and still looks that same as before. Young and beautiful.

Fairies keep their promise. She remained eternally young", responded a barn owl named Night Watcher.

"What happened to you?" the owl asked.

"Many problems, many challenges. There is a long list of reasons why I spent so many years." responded tired wolf.

"Sorry for asking too much. Just go ahead and save her," responded Night Watcher.

"You will tell me all details afterward."

"Yes - I'll do. See you later."

Moonlight Eye slowly and steadily moved on towards castle walls.

At the door, the guard asked, "Who is there!?"

"I'm the Moonlight Eye, the silver wolf. That is all you need to say to the master." replied the wolf.

Moonlight Eye stopped in front of the door, waiting for a call.

One of the guardians went inside the castle, and almost one hour later, the master of the court, King Oak, appeared in his golden robe and green gown.

He surprisingly looked into Moonlight Eye and said:

"What a surprise, finally. You can come inside. I'm a person of the word, and your darling will be set free. She is still young and fresh as promised to you. But you, my friend, you look pretty exhausted and old."

"Do not worry about me, just take me to her.", replied the wolf.

A nice, bright room with walls in silver drapes was at the end of the long corridor. Beloved Blue Eye was inside, waiting for him long eight years.

"Oh, thank the forest gods, you are beautiful!" the wolf said as greetings.

She was speechless, just hung a wolf head, and quietly kissed his bright eyes.

King Oak approached. In front of the wolf and Blue Eye, he took scepter. He marked circles around them, then hit three times at the floor singing:

"Let gods and ancestors release this man and woman out of golden prison!".

The young lady was released from invisible chains keeping her inside the silver room in a flash coming from walls, and the wolf turned into a man.

She was young and with shiny skin. Moonlight Eye becomes an old man with a grey, almost white beard.

"My forest gods, what is this? What happened to Moonlight Eye?" she cried.

It is a simple thing, King Oak said.

"You went on the quest as 25 years old man turned into a wolf. You have spent 8 wolf years on your quest, which is 50 years in human life. So now, you have 75 years."

Our magic wasn't planned to protect you from aging in wolf body.", he explained without excitement.

"But I had to be turned into a wolf for the quest, you know that! You knew that it before my task began!?" Moonlight Eye was shocked.

"Yes, I did. In the end, if you were finished the quest in 1 year as planned, you would spend only 6, maybe 7 human years, not 50.

It is not part of my promise. We are done here. I King Oak, I kept my word."

Moonlight Eye, now an old man, and Blue Eye took each other for hands and walked out via bridge back to the forest. They were walking in silence, afraid to even look at each other. Confused by the situation, they held down any kind of emotion.

After the long walk, they sit down on the spring rocks beside an old oak tree.

Moonlight Eye sat crying quietly on the spring waters and started to wash his face, hands, and chest. Blue Eye was silent, completely staring at him.

He still had a gorgeous body and these deep, mystical, brown eyes she used to love so much.

She finally spoke:

"Darling, I want to go back to our river house and continue where we stopped eight years ago. I still love you and want to spend my life with you."

"I love you too, more than anything, but I'm an old man now. I'm unable to give you kids and family, as you deserve," replied Moonlight Eye sadly.

"I actually closed my life circle as a wolf. So there is no new circle for me as a man.", My time is spent.

"You spent all your life just to give me freedom - I'm not going to release you.", she cried.

"When I die, you will be alone. You have to find a young man and have kids and a big family. Just please, give one of them my name".

The man moved closer to the cliff and turned again to her:

"Please, never forget how I spent my time believing that life is long and there is plenty of time ahead.

Bring joy in every day, be free and bring all your love to a new man. Let him feel how loved he is. And love without fear as wolfs do".

Moonlight Eye made a few steps and jumped over the cliff edge.

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