Morning light brought the she-wolf to wake up, Alhazred was already deep in his studies.

“ You’re awake.” He called to her. She acknowledged him with a nod, and stood beside him, peering at the contests of his studies. “ So- I have come to understand why the humans think I am a demon, if you read through their holy text; The chapter called Revaluations speak off kinds of interesting creatures - who cause the fall of their own planet. I can see why they were so afraid, you and I have already lived through that.” He shook his head.

“But- they’re Deity who seems to go by Yahweh, however he has a son, named Jesus Christ. Which he … birthed with a human woman.” He narrowed his eyes at the text.. As if in disbelief himself of this lore. “ Which is interesting, that would be like one of us lying with a human and creating offspring. I suppose. But he didn’t do it while mating with her he did it.. I don’t know. Any any rate. This Jesus Christ character says he is their Lord and teaches love, and well.. It’s basically a guide book for not being a selfish narcissist.

“ So a guide book on how not to be an asshole. They kind of need it, honestly.”

“ Well.. Yes. But see, if you read the earlier text, this Yahweh character is a monster. He’s terrible to his creations. He puts them through all these tests to prove their faith to him, he..” He flipped through a page. “ Makes all these commandments which are impossible for a being of free-will to follow, but he gave them all free well. It’s maddening. So, I have an idea.”

“ Yes?”

“ I can shape shift-”

“ It doesn’t always look… right. You can not pass as a human around humans.”

“ No, my love. Listen. I can work on creating a design like their god, he was a middle eastern man from Bethlehem, I can construct a human from from that location, and approach the humans. I will look like the human they worship.”

“…So, You’re going to pretend to be their god?” she turned to look at him side ways. “ Are you mad?”

“ No! Listen. Babe. It’s just a form so I appear less threatening, I’m not gonna pretend that I’m their god, I’ll just.. Use the narrative about looking out from one another, forgiveness, and slowly work my way into their hearts. After some time, we can start helping them. And work on peace.”

“ If you talk like Jesus they’re gonna think you’re Jesus.”

“ Don’t be abused. They’re truly not that gullible.”

“ They’re gonna think you’re their savior. And then they’re gonna think the world is ending because when he ‘comes back’ that’s when all these little creatures who up. They’ll think we are indeed, the demons in their holy book.”

“ Good heavens, you do not believe they think this book is literal do you?”

“ Hahah.. Poor choice of words. Seeing their after life is called “Heaven”. Whichever be the case. I’ll be there beside you, as always. If this is your will will follow.”

His energy rippled and he shifted and turned with in a matter of time, he had done it. It wasn’t.. Perfect. But it was a human that could pass for Jesus, even if a bit, off. But good enough- better than his last attempts. He looked roughly in his 20s, brown skin, a beard, and long black hair. His eyes were red- but the looked.. Welcoming. But she figured it was because she found him comforting.

“ How’s it look?”

She shrugged and relaxed, “ Honestly? You look like you. You know how I see all the layers of your light, I see all of you. But this, I guess, could pass as a human. At least. If I were human I would find you attractive.” She smiled at him. He flushed and turned away. She grinned at him, it was funny, seeing his human for express emotions, emotions that were usually hidden behind his mask and eyes and tendrils. “ But you’ll need to dress the part.” Her clothing fit him, barely. As she slid on a shirt and offered him some of her own pants. She in turn turned herself into a canine looking creature.

“ You were a simple Shepperd. Your flock was attacked by wolves, they killed your flock and your other dog. We escaped with our lives and nothing else. We need a place to stay. You are a scholar and study languages. You need a place to stay, and do simple work.

“ So let’s go-”

He teleported to the edges of a town. “ Just walk towards town and look for a place to sleep. Hopefully someone takes pity or shows compassion.”

“ It is what their holy book teaches.”

“ Exactly.” Talathia spoke, with her long dog like snout, as she trotted along side him. ‘ But from here on out I will have to communicate telepathically.’

Alhazred watched the humans stare at him as Tala trotted beside him. He smiled mildly at the towns people.

“ Sir?” a villager asked, “ Where do you travel from?”

Alhazred looked to Talathia, who was looking at the villager- non-threateningly, but intently. Unaware of how these villagers would react.

“ I was a traveling goat Herder- and my flock was attacked with my other guard dog. Me and and my other faithful companion are the only ones who surivived.

“ That is terrible.” He sighed resting his hands on Alhazred’s shoulders, “ Everything is going poorly since those sky demons arrived.”

“ The sky demons?”

“ Haven’t you heard? Maybe you haven’t. Demons from the sky have been attacking travelers and towns, one claimed he saw a she-devil who looked like a white werewolf, who spoke like a human. Surely she was the one who attacked your flock.” Talathia let out a huff and looked at Alhazred, her patiance wanning thing with the villager already.

“ Nonsense.” Alhazred waves his hand. “ Those demons aren’t the creatures of Armageddon. For if demons of Armageddon were here, surely would the savior Jesus Christ.” The villager, relaxed a bit. As if the name of his god brought him peace. “ You know our lord, then.”

“ Of course.” Alhazred wasn’t attempting to manipulate him, he was answering the man’s question. But Talathia hoped this would gain them access to inside their home. Being in a tangible form required tangible food. And her dog form was hungry, where pain ached in her belly.

“ I would love to give you shelter, food, and arrange for you a place to stay- we don’t have much. But my wife and daughter are making some stew. My brother has herding dogs and we have a small flock of our own. We can find a place for you.”

“ I would be ever grateful.” Alhazred smiled warmly and followed the man. Talathia trotting beside him.

‘ You must make up some lie that I need to be by your side, if alone with the other dogs.. They might figure out I’m Not a dog.’

‘ You look like a dog to the human.’

‘ Dogs will know I am not a dog.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘ You may want to give this human a name, so he knows what to cause you.’

‘ Hmm, I will need a name. What name would you suggest.’

‘ A common one. I don’t know, Aubrey is a boys name, A man’s name. It means Elf King. You are a king, it’s an English name.. It suits you. You may call me whatever you wish.’

“ By the way, kind sir. My name is Aubrey, my dog here is Lilith.” He gestured behind him to Talathia. The villager gave a nervous glance at Talathia then met Alhazred’s watchful eyes.

“ I am called Petter.” He nodded politely. “ My wife is Mary, my children Joseph and Jeremiah.” Petter replied, he arrived at his humble home. And opened the door, his wife laboring away over a large pot on the fireplace, the children - filthy- played with the dogs. Which quickly jumped up and ran outside when Alhazred and Talathia walked in over the threshold. Mary glanced up at him, watching him with gentle warm eyes, the kids attention was on the new dog in their house and Talathia backed up when their sticky hands went to pet her head.

“ Mary, this is Aubrey- he has come in need of a place to stay after losing his lively good to the sky demons.” Petter explained.

“ We can’t keep taking in every stray dog you find, this stray also has a stray- what will we provide ourselves with this fall.”

“ Things generally have a way of working out, if I am to trouble you I can go else-ware.”

“ No no no, Aubrey stay with us.” The children pleaded pulling on his arm. Alhazred relaxed his nervousness. These beings- these children of the beings he was trying so hard to communicate were welcoming him into their humble home. Maybe there was hope.

He politely took a seat at their table. And Petter and Alhazred spoke deeply about things, his opinions on the world- which mirrored the teachings of Christ.

“ One shouldn’t judge another man for his actions- no man is with out fault. Everyone is so caught up in pointing fingers when someone should look for a solution; the weak need to be taken care of. It is a shame kings and queens of this land do not do as such.”

“ Those words could get you killed.” Mary said to him. “ You speak of things one should not be saying.”

“ Mary- he speak the same as our lord, our real lord.” Petter smiled wide, like a teenager girl at a concert. Hearing his beliefs validated by a man who looked like Christ himself. Talathia lay across his feet. When the hours grew to be late, Petter offered Alhazred a place to sleep in the barn. There wasn’t much room in the house. Alhazred was simply happy to have spoken with the humans.

“ I am gaining their trust.” Alhazred smiled as Talathia lay beside him.

“ These fools think you’re Jesus.”

“ Don’t be foolish yourself.”

“ I’m not the fool here. Petter is, like fawning over you like a male bird trying to impress a female.” The she-wolf soffed as she curled up in a ball. “ Those dogs of his have fleas, they’re eating and feasting on my blood.”

Morning worse to a scream. A loud bloodcurdling scream of a woman, a mother. It was Mary- at the front of her house in the street. One of her children had been hit carriage and lay injured in her arms. His leg bent in a way it should not be bent. Alhazred and Talathia stood across the street and watched from a distance.

“ I can heal him, our magic allows it.” Alhazred whispered to Talathia.

‘ That is something you SHOULD NOT DO. Lord! They’ll really think you’re—” before she could finish she watched him kneel beside the boy, who was in shock at his twisted and mangled leg.

“ Child, hold still. I can manipulate your flesh and heal your injuries. It will hurt only for a second- but-” he murmured something in his own language, And before the eyes of the villagers the boy’s leg warped and healed before their eyes. It was a form of alchemy - but to the villagers. It was a miracle.

“ I didn’t want to believe it at first.” Petter said, his eyes gleaming with delight. “ You really are Christ, you’ve come to deliver us.” He grabbed his hands in his own. “ Thank you lord for saving my son.” He wept them at Alhazred’s feet. Talathia watched from a few feet behind them. A grave look on her face. She knew this facade wouldn’t last- sooner or later- the truth will come out.

But this went on for weeks, Alhazred would preach, and teach the humans skills. Heal the sick and injured and helped them in any way he could. Talathia warning him constantly at night.

Word did get out, and a priest from a local kingdom arrived.

“ So, Son of God, I have come to you ask that you come to the kingdom of (create a name). Our king demands it.”

“ A man with all the money in the land and who owns the land does not need me to turn his water into wine, he can create his own wine.” Alhazred snapped. He wasn’t trying to sound like Christ, but the wording did sound like it. The Priest unimpressed by his words. There was a heavy tention in the air.

“ Children of God.” The Priest glared around. “ Are you sure this is your lord in savior?”

“ Of course he is!” on woman called out. “ He’s saved our village!” they all cheered. Talathia shook her head at Alhazred, she knew, and he knew this could end terribly. Something was about to go wrong. She just didn’t know what.

“ Really? I heard of a man who’s made a blind man see, and brought back the dead in Wessex. But the man was a witch- working the devil. As you know the sky demons are here.” Talathia stood in between the priest and he lover. Afraid of what would come next. Ready to attack. The Priest, held up a cross. “If that is so, Jesus my lord. Hold this symbol in our hands- it is craved from the heavy stones that fell upon the earth from the heavens.”

Alhazred, did as was asked. Something as easy as holding a crucifix shouldn’t harm him. The moment he grabbed it- it burnt his flesh, his human image flicked and faded and before he knew it his true form was exposed before them. He quickly turned back, as the cross tumbled into the grass.

“ YOU SEE! HE’S A DEMON!”

“ NO NO WANT TO HELP YOU! WE WANT TO HELP YOU!” with in moments the villagers turn on him, some gathering what they could to defend themselves with, Talathia bristled and stood guard around him. Ready to attack. The priest reached down for the cross and started warding it at him and be backed away. “ I can explain why it injured me. I am not a demon from your holy book! I promise.” Talathia saw the priest inching closer- and knowing full well the threat the crucifix actually posed to her lord and master and left for the priest’s arm. Biting hard, he dropped it and screamed as he flailed back and scrambled away.

“ DO NOT INJURE HIM!” she snarled. “ He is My LORD and MY MASTER. And unlike your dead god- he is alive! He doesn’t flood words because he’s displeased his creations he gave free will to disobeyed him. He wouldn’t allowed the murder of a first born child! He doesn’t put women below men, but rather above them. As beings with a womb are the true creators of all life.” She snarled rage in her eyes. It did not help their cause or their argument. The villages screamed and ran, some came back with whatever they could defend themselves with.

“ Talathia, was must go.” He ordered scooping her up in his arms. “ Farewell.” He said to Petter, who’s eyes had nothing but hatret for him, hate and fear. Alhazred quickly teleported away to their safe refuge in the arctic.