When you’re originally from the moon, every full moon is a cause for celebration. Today isn’t just a full moon though, it’s my full moon, the night of the wolf moon, and as an added bonus, there’s a lunar eclipse too. You probably don’t think much about stuff like that, but here at Armstrong Academy, it’s everything.
When I awoke just before sunset, it felt like a typical Friday night. There was an additional buzz of excitement in the air because of the full moon, and those of us from the wolf clan were even more in tune to it.
Everyone from the wolf clan were natural born leaders. We all lived together in the stronghold Pandia with the pink and buck clans. Together Pandia represented strength and security. On the moon, our ancestors provided leadership and military strength.
Some of the other strongholds could do cooler stuff, like grow things, or build things, but I liked to think that Pandia was the most important alliance of all. Without good leadership the others would crumble.
Tonight we were celebrating outside on the common grounds where we could look up at the sky and see our beloved home. Sure none of us could remember living up there, but my parents had done a great job instilling in each of us the bond that comes with being a moon child.
At the moment the moon rose highest in the sky, the entire school stood out in the field with an unobstructed view of the night sky. It was littered with a million stars and one of the brightest moons I had ever seen.
Standing there looking up, I felt this pull, this unexplainable connection to it. It made me stronger and more aware of everything already me.
It was a cold night and I noticed many people huddled together in tight packs trying to stay warm. If only we had thought to build a bonfire, I thought.
“A bonfire?” the kid next to me asked.
I looked over to see Jacob from Marama standing next to me. I was pretty sure he was part of the beaver clan.
“Sorry, man. I didn’t realize I said that aloud.”
He looked at me and there was this strange glazed over look in his eyes. “Louis wants a bonfire,” he mumbled, and then he walked away.
I shook my head. That was odd.
I didn’t have time to dwell on it before my best friend, Theo came over to stand with me.
“How’s it feel Louie? This is our night,” he reminded me.
My parents had rescued two-hundred and twenty-three moon kids to take refuge down on Earth fifteen years ago during a great battle with the children of the sun. Then, they created Armstrong Academy as a sanctuary. Most of the kids grew up with adopted families or foster homes, but Mom and Dad tried their best to keep tabs of as many as they could, and the summer before their freshman year of high school, a special invite and scholarship was sent out inviting them to come to the full boarding school for their high school years. Most couldn’t imagine who they really were until they arrived and learned the truth about our ancestry.
There were still a few out there, somewhere, who many never learn the truth of who they are. But since the last freshman class arrived last fall, my parents dream was in full swing.
Over all there were less of us born to the wolf clan than any of the twelve. I supposed that was because they simply needed fewer leaders. Theo had arrived the summer before our freshman year and we instantly bonded—best friends for life, sworn brothers till death do us part and all that nonsense.
“She sure is a beaut, isn’t she?” Theo asked as he solemnly stared up at the moon.
“She really is,” I agreed.
“Nothing like the wolf pack,” he said. I shook my head, grinning.
To appease him, I turned my head up to the sky. “Aroooo!” I yelled. Theo followed, as did a few others from our clan throughout the crowded field.
“Wolves rule!” Theo yelled getting everyone wound up. It was his favorite slogan, cause you know, only those born under the wolf moon rose to ruling power.
I never said he was creative.
A loud noise that sounded like a bomb going off shook the ground beneath my feet
“What was that?” I asked, as people started getting up, screaming, and running to safety. At the edge of the woods, a massive fire erupted and right there standing in the middle of it was Jacob. He was staring right at me and gave a little thumbs up.
I had a bad feeling about this.
Want to read more of this world? Louis and the Secrets of the Ring releases January 18th.
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