While studying the celestial bodies that govern our world, we often assume that time is a constant across the world's realms. However, this is far from the truth. Even in the past, before the advent of modern technology and standardized time zones, the length of a day and night varied greatly from place to place.
In fact, it was not uncommon for nearby regions to have vastly different cycles of light and dark. The reasons for this are not fully understood, but some hypothesize that it is due to the unique nature of our Sun and Moon.
While these celestial bodies are revered by many as powerful entities, they are also humbled by the vastness of the four Great World Trees that hold our world in place. It is said that the Sun and Moon are actually lower than some of the branches of these trees, and this may contribute to the inconsistencies in time across the globe.
Regardless of the reasons, it is important to remember that time is not a constant, and we must always be mindful of how it affects our lives and the lives of those around us. As we continue to explore the mysteries of our universe, let us not forget the simple truths that have been present since the dawn of time.
~Excerpt from An Introduction to the Sky's Study by Sir Fonrđdas Elfming a renowned astrologer.
World Location: A Mid-trunk Bough > Bashiri's Inner World
TRANSFERING THOUGHTS
1513 IF 1918:00 > 1513 IF 1984:00
The Icebird observed the werewolves, who were playfully chasing each other in the snow-covered wasteland. Although the pack's youthful energy and carefree spirits were admirable, the Icebird couldn't help but notice that they weren't working together effectively. As skilled hunters, the werewolves were doing a bad job of catching even a small snow fox, tripping over themselves in their haste and getting in each other's way.
The Icebird knew that improving their coordination would bring immeasurable benefits to them. With its telepathic communication technique, thought transference, it could teach them how to work together more effectively. It would be a new experience for the Icebird, who had never attempted to teach anyone before, but it was an opportunity to make a significant difference and strengthen its followers.
The Icebird landed gracefully in front of the pack of werewolves, and they stopped their play, staring at it curiously. The Icebird took a deep breath before announcing its plan. "I have an idea that could improve your coordination," the Icebird said, building up the suspense.
Silver-Fang was intrigued. In the time it had been 'serving' the Icebird, it had always proved to be a good mentor and friend, and its guidance had been invaluable in Silver-Fang's adjustment to his new werewolf form. He knew the Icebird probably had something significant to share.
Excitement spread through the pack as they thought through the possibilities of this new technique. The Icebird watched with a sense of satisfaction, knowing that it had taken an important step towards making the pack stronger and more unified than ever before.
The pack of werewolves gathered around the Icebird, their ears perking up in anticipation.
The Icebird began to explain the technique of thought transference, its wings flapping excitedly with every word. The werewolves asked question after question, eager to understand the intricacies of the technique. The Icebird patiently answered each one, eager to share its knowledge with the pack.
After the initial explanation, the Icebird demonstrated the technique slowly, manipulating the aether with ease to communicate its thoughts and ideas. The werewolves watched intently, taking in every movement and trying to replicate them for themselves.
With the Icebird's guidance, the werewolves tried the technique out for themselves. They stumbled at first, but the Icebird corrected their mistakes and praised their successes. At first, it was challenging for them to get the hang of it, but slowly they began to master the technique. It wasn't just about speeding up communication; it was about improving it.
As they practiced, Silver-Fang realized that this technique would allow the pack to communicate no matter their chosen form. He had previously discovered that although they could understand "wolf speak" in their humanoid forms, they couldn't speak it. This technique would solve that problem and improve their coordination at the same time.
Once they had it down, the werewolves put the technique into practice immediately. They used it in every moment of their everyday lives, working together seamlessly and quietly. The amount of noise they produced decreased significantly, giving a sense of eerie unity to any onlookers.
The werewolves were proud of their newfound skill and grateful to the Icebird for teaching it to them. They knew that it would make them stronger and more unified than ever before. As they investigated the Lunar Ice Fortress from a distance, their thoughts and ideas seamlessly communicated through thought transference, and they couldn't help but feel a sense of renewed excitement at the power of their newfound skill.
From Silver-Fangs of perspective, this new technique seems to improve the pack's everyday life in a multitude of ways. Take for example the fight that two siblings of their pack that had been particularly close had.
It had all started nights ago as they were hunting down the source of the unnatural aether.
Silver-Fang reminisce about how as the pack settled into their temporary camp the brother and sister werewolves, himself, and a few other pack members were gathered together, eating some of the meat they had hunted earlier that day. The air was thick with the scent of the meat, and the pack members were discussing something inconsequential.
"I hope we can catch some glacier boars tomorrow," the sister werewolf said, taking a bite of the meat. She still couldn't forget the first time she had eaten the meat of one and how amazing it had tasted. "I almost went running off when I caught the scent of one earlier today."
"Agreed," Silver-Fang said. "But we also need to be careful. We don't want to attract unwanted attention from other predators."
The brother werewolf nodded in agreement. "We need to stay focused and work together. That's the only way we can make it through this mission."
As they finished their meal, the sister werewolf and brother werewolf started to argue over who had the better hunting skills. Despite Silver-Fang's and the rest of the pack's best efforts, their argument had continued for the last few days with them constantly at each other's throats.
However, just last night the brother had finally mastered the thought transference technique. Soon after, in one of his at this point hourly confrontations with his sister he had used it.
As the siblings shared their thoughts, they soon realized that the disagreement was actually a result of miscommunication. The brother werewolf had thought that his sister was questioning his hunting skills, while in fact at the time she was just trying to offer some advice.
"Wow, I can't believe we've been misunderstanding each other this whole time," the sister werewolf said, surprised by the revelation.
The brother werewolf chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we really need to work on our communication skills."
Silver-Fang still quietly chuckled to himself every time he thought of the looks on their faces when they realized their mistake.
Silver-Fang sat out on the soft snow, staring at the starry sky and almost full moon. His mind wandered back to just a few minutes ago when the pack was planning their raid on the Lunar Ice Fortress, as they instead of calling the aether radiating construct that seemed to give off moonlight. The pack had gathered to discuss their strategy, but they were having a hard time coming to a consensus.
The pack had been arguing for hours, debating the best approach to take. Some suggested a direct attack, while others suggested a more stealthy approach. Even the Icebird had tried to step in and mediate at one point, but the discussions seemed to be going nowhere.
That was until one of the pack members, a younger werewolf who had started using thought transference for everything, even when he didn't need to, asked why they weren't using it to communicate thoughts and ideas.
At first, the pack wouldn't even consider the young werewolf's suggestion. They still have the mindset that communicating through words and gestures, not telepathy was better for more important matters. But minutes later, when the Icebird exclaimed in frustration about the pack getting nowhere using words, the other pack members finally caved.
It was slow at first, but soon the pack found that they were able to share their thoughts and ideas with each other quickly and seamlessly. As they communicated through the aether, they found that they were able to come to a consensus much faster than they would have with spoken discussion. They were able to spend more time on other important matters, such as planning who would do what and discussing contingencies.
Even now Silver-Fang was still amazed at how much more efficient the pack had become with the thought transference technique. They were able to plan their raid with a clarity and precision that they had never achieved before. They were able to identify potential problems and come up with solutions on the spot.
As the night wore on, the pack grew tired but determined. They had a plan, and they were confident that it would work. They were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, thanks to the newfound efficiency of their communication. And as they drifted off to sleep, Silver-Fang couldn't help but feel proud of his pack and how far they would come from being the mere unintelligent beasts they have been a few years ago.
As the full moon began to rise in the starry sky, the werewolves felt a surge of energy course through their bodies. It was a feeling that they had become familiar with over time, but this night felt different. Some of the more sensitive members of the pack had already sensed the power building within them as the moon waxed and waned, but it was not until the full moon that they realized just how much stronger it was now making them.
As they moved through the twilight toward the Lunar Ice Fortress, their senses heightened and their movements quickened, they felt as though they could conquer anything. The aether flowed through them like never before, giving them increased power to command the ice and snow around them.
Even those who had been skeptical of waiting for the full moon before the salt could not deny the incredible power they felt coursing through their veins. It was as if the moon had multiplied the abilities both physical and magical. As they ran over the snow, their fur glistening in the moonlight, they felt invincible.
The werewolves howl into the night, their voices echoing across the frozen wasteland. It was a powerful display of their strength and unity, a warning to any creature that dared to challenge them. As they howled, a white rabbit suddenly darted out of a nearby snow pile, startled by the noise. It scampered frantically across the frozen ground, its heart racing with fear.
The werewolves watched with interest as the rabbit fled, some of the more primal members of the pack even considering the possibility of a chase. But as the rabbit ran closer and closer to the Lunar Ice Fortress, something strange happened. It fell into the moat surrounding the fortress, a seemingly normal body of water except for the fact that it hadn't frozen despite the sub-zero temperatures.
The werewolves watched in horror as the rabbit thrashed about in the water, trying desperately to stay afloat. But before they could even consider its strange reaction to the water, something even more shocking happened. The water touching the rabbit seemed to glow with an otherworldly icy light, and the rabbit suddenly froze in place, a look of terror etched on its features. It had been magically frozen by the moat's power, unable to move or escape.
The werewolves watched as the frozen rabbit floated to the surface of the moat, its lifeless body now trapped in the icy grip of the magical water. They knew better than to attempt to swim across the moat now, realizing that it was not just cold water but something far more dangerous.
As the werewolves stood before the Lunar Ice Fortress, they gazed upon its massive walls that towered over the frozen wasteland. The fortress was a sight to behold, its shimmering walls glinting in the pale light of the full moon. It was a marvel of magic and engineering, built from ice blocks fused together with powerful spells. The werewolves were in awe of its beauty and power, and they felt a sense of excitement and anticipation as they prepared to enter its icy halls.
As they approached the moat that surrounded the fortress, they could feel the cold radiating off of the icy water. The werewolves' thoughts turned to how they could cross the moat without getting frozen solid. They began to telepathically discuss their options, brainstorming ideas and weighing their risks.
Suddenly, the light of the full moon touched the walls of the fortress, and with a low rumbling sound, a frozen ice-covered drawbridge slowly lowered down across the moat. The werewolves were amazed by the sight, as they had never seen anything like it before. The drawbridge seemed to be alive, its ice-covered surface glistening in the moonlight. As it touched the other side of the moat, the fortress's mighty gates creaked open, revealing a dark and icy interior that beckoned to the werewolves.
The werewolves stood in awe, taking in the sight before them. They could sense the power emanating from within the fortress, and they knew that they were about to embark on a perilous journey through its icy halls. With a sense of trepidation and excitement, the werewolves stepped onto the drawbridge and made their way across the moat, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead.
As the werewolves made their way across the frozen drawbridge, they couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The fortress before them seemed to emanate an eerie and otherworldly energy, making their fur stand on end. The sound of their footsteps echoed out ominously across the moat, as if the world was alive and listening to their every move.
As they stepped inside, they found themselves looking at down what they could see of a maze of corridors and shimmering chambers. The walls were made entirely of ice, and they glinted and sparkled in the pale light of the moon. The air was cold and still, and they could hear nothing but the sound of their own breathing.
The werewolves cautiously pressed forward, their senses on high alert. They could feel an aura of power emanating from the walls themselves, as if the fortress was alive with some kind of ancient magic. With every step, the air seemed to grow colder and more charged with energy, until they could barely contain the energy within themselves.
