Act VII:

Sexuality

Characters:

• Wolf
• Artemis

Scene I:

FOREST:

Deep, deep, in the forest, laid a wolf. Among the tall evergreens, the cold nights, he lay there upon the dirt tied by a chain. A heavy rusty nail locked the chain down to the ground. He lay there and slumbered until one day he was awakened by an unexpected visitor.

Wolf: Steadily focusing on his breath, he lays by his cave. He smells something different in the air this time. A new, foreign, scent that the heavy wind carried. He was not sure whether to devour it, attack it, or let it be. His ears went up in alertness as he heard distant ruffling among the tall grass.

Out of the grass pops a young goddess, Artemis. She is known as the goddess of the hunt. She has come to hunt the wolf.

Artemis slowly creeps up on the wolf among the tall grass, the wolf ‘seems’ to still slumber and Artemis grabs a hold of his chain. She slowly rattles the wolf’s chain in a playful manner to tempt the wolf to awaken.

Wolf: I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

Says the wolf under his breath, as he slowly shows Artemis his teeth.

Why do you disturb me from my peaceful slumber?

Artemis: It is I, young wolf, I have come to slay you.

Wolf: Opens his eyes. And slowly turns his body to meet his challenger. Still crouching down on all fours.

Then what are you waiting for? I see your arrows and bow, come now and be done with it, says the wolf with no fear.

Artemis: She slowly gets up and reaches back for her arrows.

The wolf does not move. 

She just locks her gaze. Artemis brings the arrow and holds it back in the bow ready to aim at the wolf when she pauses it there.

Wolf: I see hesitation in your eyes.

Artemis: I cannot slay you. I had every intention to do so, but I cannot. You are too grand, too majestic a beast to slay. You have lost your hunt. I do not hunt a chained beast. 

She slowly lowers her bow and lowers her head and shoulders in a relief pose. 

Why are you here and why are you chained?

Wolf: The villagers. They put me here. They were afraid of me. They tried to tame me. That I could only act accordingly to their rules and regulations. That if I did not abide by their man made rules I would be slain. And so, instead of putting me to rest, they left me here to live out my days.

Artemis: Did you act recklessly? Is that why they were scared?

Wolf: Not at all. I am a wolf. I act out of loyalty. Integrity. A pack. I act out of instinct.

If I am hungry, I eat. If I am tired, I sleep. If I am thirsty, I drink.

Many times, you humans have labeled me and my kind as something dark, mysterious, and forbidden. You have tried to discipline me, to try and tame me. And so, here I am in chains. Yet, I act out of spirit, I act out of …

Artemis: Interrupts. Wolf, why have you not freed yourself already?

Wolf: Why, even a wolf needs a little helping hand now and then.

Artemis: How long have you been like this?

Wolf: Why many, many years now. I have lost count. I was very rambunctious and playful. My coat was glossy, my eyes full of luster, my energy vital, I was alive. Now I have the villagers give me enough to keep me alive. They are trying to discipline me. That when I act accordingly to them, and appease them, then I shall be rewarded.

Artemis: Laughs. Forgive me wolf. But you have certainly gotten yourself in quite the predicament.

Wolf: How would you say that? Are you saying I created this for myself?

Artemis: Yes, by obeying the wrong master. You obeyed them. You did not obey your instinct. They think you are wild and untamed, and that it is dangerous. And they tell tall tails of how dangerous you are and how much havoc you will reap, when that was never you at all. That was never you to begin with.

Wolf: I believe it is time for you to go. I have heard enough. Wolf turns his back on Artemis and lays down to sleep.

Artemis: Yanks on his chain again, playfully. She slowly gets closer. Wolf, may I touch your face?

Wolf: Continues to sleep and ignores her.

Artemis: Slowly goes over and brushes against his coat and touches his face.

Wolf: Starts feeling his spirit. Feels the blood rush through his body. His senses become heightened. His instincts begin to roar.

Artemis: Wolf, speak to me of love?

Wolf: Why, I am the embodiment of love, for without love, I cease to exist.

Artemis: Wolf, when you age, I hear you grow deaf in the ears, sore on sight, and limp in your legs. Speak to me of time?

Wolf: Why, I never age. I am love energy. I play among the gods. Why I brought you here didn’t I?  It is because of my vitality and strength, that I transcend the spiritual world into this physical world. The moon tugs on my cycles. I am immortal. The only thing that ages me is your thoughts.

Your thoughts of me being less than a god, is what ages me. For I never cease to exist.

Artemis: Then why have I heard fables of you changing?

Wolf: Grins. Why my dear, change is the only constant. I never go away. My mane may grow fuller, my eyes more sharpened, my heart more aware, but I never go. I just transform.

Artemis: Some might say, you are the embodiment of instinct and intuition. And instinct must be tamed for it is uncontrollable.

Wolf: The illusion of control is merely that, an illusion. You must remember my instinct is guided by love. I am guided by the natural laws of the universe, I do no harm. I am pure, positive, energy.

I am breath. Life gives you breath. Death takes your last one away. When there is mutual respect, I help you focus your breath to the point of taking it away. That you must catch your breath! It was not the hunt itself, it was the process of the hunt. The running, the in the moment, the physical experience. When you are in spirit with someone, I attract all the energy of the cosmos through your breath. That is the dance.

Artemis: Slowly goes over and pulls the nail out of the ground. With hesitancy, yet a smile, she slowly walks closer to the wolf’s neck to unlock his collar. 

You are free now wolf. Go be free!

Wolf: A rush of energy from all areas of the cosmos engulfs the wolf. 

Artemis: Vanishes into the forest before the wolf can thank her. 

Come and get me wolf. You are free now! Come enjoy your hunt.

Wolf: Shakes his mane. Stretches. He puts his paw in the dirt that was never stepped on before. He makes new paw prints. A sense of sharpness and aliveness embodies the wolf. He takes a deep breath and runs into the forest and howls.  And lives for the hunt, again.