Chapter Nine, 'Full moon'

"Child, are you sure about this?"
"Every full moon Endiel, for as long as I can remember. That's why I'm going ashore for the night."
"Without your clothes?"
"They're such nice clothes, and I hardly wish to get them destroyed. I'll be fine, just help Cavel with the pup. The future of the Sickle Ear clan rests on his survival and training."

Alicea swam out across the lake, She'd left the cloak with the rest of her goods. Hidden, some of the nymphs could be quite mischievous when given the opportunity. Tonight was the full moon, and the feral spirit would rule her body. She could maintain reason, or at least calm, when she was alone. But speech, and the scent of blood, would overwhelm her. If she lost control upon the island she would almost certainly kill Ikal, the apprentice shaman. The sprites would likely fair little better against her. It was a dangerous and unstoppable power, she could not be slain, healing quickly from her wounds; nor could spells harm her, deflecting from her fur.

It was a cloudless night, that would make it easier. The transformation came swiftly as the first moonbeams caught her on the lake's shore. It was painful, but she had become accustomed to it. At home with her father they had built a sub-cellar with a trapdoor; when the full moon rose she would go there and the town would be spared her bloodlust.
Aurou had found a Nieldic account of the curse, or something similar anyways. They spoke of it as a blessing, a power that could let one survive armies. The 'silver-slain', as they were known, were faster and stronger than other warriors of equal skill. As the name implied they had only silver to fear in battle or life, though the death of time would reach them as it did others. Danielland, she had learned, had no moon; so the feral spirit could not grow strong enough to gain mastery over the bodies of its hosts. Aurou had also told her of the night they first captured her. She had slain three men at the age of four, without control she was dangerous. She had spent years honing her mind to keep control on nights like this one, but even then if she was threatened or tempted it would be a challenge to maintain control. It was easier at times like this to be alone; where she could not harm others.

She passed the night in silence, save for the wind. It was her companion. She had always been closest to the wind nymphs and the Wisps, In many ways, she found that Cavel reminded her of her father. Watching him teach Ikal was like watching her father teach her. To manipulate the air, its movements, its power; it brought her peace. So as the feral spirit howled from within her, the winds howled about her. For the night, she was at peace; the feral spirit would not be responsible for the blood of her friends.