It was an unusually cold night, the rumbling of the sky threatening a downpour. Bridgette will be eighteen on the morrow. She couldn't wait for the day to break. She kept looking out the window as the sky thundered on. What kind of wolf would she get? Like every wolf she was nervous an excited at the same time.
"Bridgette, are you in?," The mother called from the other side of the door, cutting off her train of thought. She scampered from the window with a little murmur to let her mother in
"Mother! it's late, couldn't sleep? Or another lecture?," She asked with a mock scowl. The mother smiled mischievously and let herself in.
Marguerita, a small, slender woman with a face even smaller than her daughter's. Bridgette got her mother's nose and skin but every other thing was entirely Bridgettes. She stared lovingly at her daughter, unfolding her hands which were wrapped around her chest, she took one of Bridgette's hands and smiled satisfactorily. She was lost in thoughts for some seconds.
"Mother," Bridgette's voice trailed her thoughts. "Are you okay?," She asked worriedly as she held her mother's left shoulder with her free hand.
"Yes, I came to know if you need anything." Her mother replied shaking her head with a small smile.
"No, I don't need anything ma."
The mother nodded and took a quick glance around the house and left the room. Bridgette can't remember how long she stood there watching the mother or even how she slept for but she was half awake throughout the night, stirring at intervals to voices in her head.
Finally, daybreak.
Her best friend Freda was the first to knock on her door. A knocking that quickly turned to banging.
"Sleepy head!," Freda yelled excitedly as her loud rapping on the door came rhythmically.
"Don't break the door," Bridgette said in a muffled voice, she slept very little, she doesn't even know for how long, She exhaled weakly and staggered to the door.
"Wolfie!," her friend shrieked happily as she walked in, hugging Bridgette in a half lift.
"Where's my mother?," Bridgette asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes, as she sunk in the bed lazily. She felt like the world was resting on her. Her eyelids battling to stay open.
"She's cooking," Freda said in a singsong tone. "We are waiting for the full moon," she finished joyfully settling in more comfortably into the bed. Looking at her friend's collapsed figure, she said in a low tone "What's wrong?,"
Her eyes narrowing in concern.
"What's wrong?," Freda asked again pulling up Bridgette slumping body, she grunted mumbling a few incoherent words. She shrugged her shoulders lazily.
"Nothing," Bridgette muttered not looking into her friend's face.
"Something's bothering you," Freda persisted holding her chin securely in her hand. Bridgette frown wrinkled face facing her.
"What kind of wolf would I get?," Bridgette muttered almost inaudibly. Her heart's throbbing could be heard if Freda came any closer. Bridgette has always been like this, worrying comes to her as easily as breathing. But she was right to be worried because what will her life be after she gets her wolf?.
"You'll be fine henny," Freda reassured turning her friend in a hug into her shoulder.
She has been friends with Bridgette since they were cubs. It would be fair to say that they grew up together. They were in the same class for highschool and college and did the same things. Freda had been so fiercely protective of Bridgette when they were little and still is. They did everything together they could pass for sisters. Bridgette was also very thankful for her and her friendship because it has helped her live through not having any other family member aside her mother.
Bridgette, with her snow white skin and a round small face with plump lips and average height. She was a beautiful young lady.
Freda on the other side was voluptuous, oval face, small rosy lips. Her skin spotless, not nearly as beautiful as Bridgette but she was attractive.
A rap on the door cutting through their mutually shared warmth.
"Girls, it's time," Bridgette's mother called from the hallway. She was cooking, it was a small meal for an even smaller gathering. Bridgette has no friends aside Freda and the mother has none, so it was just the three of them.
Nervously Bridgette walked to the space in her backyard, her mother and Freda stood at a reasonable distance watching her. She stood still, the only visible movement was her chest heaving up and down. Her mother's face was calm and expectant while Freda's lovely own fixed on her.
Then, it happened.
Her hair suddenly started blowing backwards slowly at first and soon it went up like flames, flying everywhere behind her. Her face transformed first, taking the shape of a fiery wolf and in a split second went back to normal.