The War

Becoming of a Wolf

Amber looked around the pack clearing, seeing members smile and make small talk amongst themselves as they waited for the ceremony to begin. A large crowd of about 40-50 people filled a break in the tent structures, excitedly talking as the two women from before stood all the way in the front of the crowd with large smiles on their faces. Amber approached the girls, and as she got close she could see the anxiousness in their eyes, their hands delicately painted in symbols that her mom effortlessly created were wrought up in their laps. One of the girls grabbed the hand of the other, giving her a small reassuring smile. 

Amber quietly approached the girls, stopping where they stood. They smiled at her, their faces laced with anxiousness. "You both look so beautiful," she stated grabbing each of their hands and giving them a small squeeze. 

Each girl mumbled their thank yous, and gave Amber a deep hug. 

"By any chance," Amber asked "do you know where my Dad is?" 

The girls looked around, their eyes scanning the crowd. They both shrugged, shaking their heads. Amber quietly nodded and left the two girls at the front of the crowd, that was slowly getting bigger. Amber navigated through the pack members effortlessly, only occasionally getting pulled into one of their conversations. When Amber reached Clyde, her Father's Delta she tugged on his cloak. When he noticed which one of the Ash pack children was wanting to speak with him, he stopped his conversation mid way and bent down to hear Amber better. 

"Hello Alpha" he warmly smiled. His voice smooth. 

"Hi Clyde, do you know where my Dad is?" Amber asked, trying to project her voice as the crowd around her was becoming louder. 

Clyde slowly stood straight and looked around, his eyes glossing over. No doubt mind linking the Alpha. When Clyde's maple sugar brown eyes resurfaced he pointed in the direction on the Beta's tent. Amber gratefully nodding her head, bowed her head in respect her dark curls falling around her as she ran to the tent. 

She stood at the entrance of the tent and waited to be invited in. When she pulled the animal skin hide back she saw her father dressed up in true Ash pack gear talking to his Beta, his cloak similar to her mother's, adjourned in gold details. When Carter locked eyes with his daughter his face lit up, seeing the love of his life. 

"Hi Dad! Do you need any help with anything?" Amber asked, her face breaking into a wide smile. 

Carter said a few small short words to his Beta Steven, the kneeled down to talk to his daughter. He gently pushed back Amber's large mass of curls, staring into her eyes. He shook his head, "No I don't believe so little one. But we do need to talk," his voice becoming much lower. "Is it true?" He asked, a concerned look on his face. "Did Wave catch you in the woods? We're you really running from him? Did you have shortness of breath?" His eyes pleading with her. 

Amber confused at first blankly stared at her Father. She wasn't quite sure how he had found out her and her friends were playing in the woods and why it mattered if Wave had caught her. She shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah he caught me in the woods earlier. I feel fine Daddy, I wasn't tired." 

Carter and Onacona, his wolf, sighed in unison. As Amber approached the coming of age, 18 years old and had her first shift she should be starting to obtain qualities an Alpha heir would have. For example, regardless of his gender Carter at the age of 14 was stronger, and faster than a lot of the other werewolves his age because he was an Alpha. Amber however, showed no signs of this.. By Wave, a Beta werewolf, catching her easily it made Onacona restless and nervous. He knew Amber was an alpha, although he could not sense it he knew by Amber being his flesh and blood she had to be. Marian and Gola were also of Alpha descent, which means for sure Amber had to be. This all confused and worried Carter. 

Amber must have seen Carter look away quietly as he was deep in thought. At this Amber suddenly became concerned, "Is everything okay, Daddy? Did I upset you?" Her eyes piercing. 

Carter looked at the love of his life, he felt warmth spread throughout his chest and he came to the conclusion that regardless if she showed alpha qualities or not, he would love her unconditionally. He smiled gently at her, grabbing her chin playfully. "Of course my darling" he stated. 

At this Amber untangled herself from her Father a large grin spreading across her face and made way to Wave and Crest who sat quietly talking to their Mother in the corner of the tent. Amber smiled at Julie, Wave and Crest's Mother, and plopped herself down next to Crest. Crest looked bored at the conversation they were having, and Amber could tell Crest was becoming anxious about the ceremony. Amber wondered why as she looked at her friend. 

Julie quietly stood up from where she was sitting and ruffled Wave's hair, making it a mess, then quietly walked out of the tent following Steven and Carter. Amber quietly turned to Crest and watched her intently. 

"What's wrong?" Amber asked. 

Crest lifted her eyes from the ground and made eye contact with her best friend. She began to roll a pebble in between her fingers, "nothing." She blankly mumbled. Her expression grim. 

Wave sighed of frustration "Shes upset because she wishes this was HER ceremony" he paused looking at his sister who now was paying attention to Wave. "She wants to shift." He stated. 

Amber nodded her head quietly. She could understand why Crest was upset. Crest had always been the most mature friend out of their small group. She always had her mind elsewhere and never played with the two of them. Crest always seemed to want to get involved in pack drama, and do any kind of research she could about connecting with her inner-wolf. Amber wondered with how much Crest obsessed over her shift, if she had actually felt the presence of her wolf already, even at such a young age. 

Crest rolled her eyes, "no its not that" she spat out angrily. "You don't understand. I have nobody here that I connect with, and the sooner I meet my wolf the less alone I will feel." With a huff Crest stood up and walked out of the tent, flopping the hide curtain behind her. 

Amber looked at Wave absolute confusion spread across her face. "Where did that come from?" When Wave shrugged she sighed.

Wave shook his head quietly, a sad expression on his face. "She knows shes never alone. I am always with her." 

Amber scooted closer to Wave and grabbed his hands in hers and gave them a reassuring squeeze. When he looked up at her, she smiled. "She can't mean what she said. I know she loves you." Wave nodded quietly. "Come on, we gotta' go before we miss the ceremony!" 

Amber excitedly stood up and grabbed Waves hand giving him a big pull to stand up with her. Both kids ran out of the tent and back into the large crowd of people outside. The crowd had gotten much bigger, and surely all the pack members in the Ash pack were in attendance as they witness the two girls officially become women and have their first shifts. 

Amber and Wave quickly pushed through the crowd of people to stand near the front where their parents were standing. Amber quietly took her place by Marian and Wave took his place next to Julie and Crest. The two girls anxiously held each others hands while her father approached the front of the group a big smile across his features. 

"Hello Ash Pack!" His voice boomed, his arms extended out into the group of werewolves before him. "I am so pleased to see everyone happy and healthy, and I am absolutely honored to be your Alpha and to have your trust." He took a brief pause and turned to look at the girls, "Today I summoned you all to be apart of Annie and Sarah's first shift, and 'Coming of Wolf'" The girls now quietly walked up beside Carter. "The girls have already connected with their wolves earlier this morning, but now I request we open our hearts and our souls to them and officially link them with us." He bowed his head, and the rest of the pack followed. Marian grabbed Amber's hand and held it while she bowed her head. Amber quietly bowed hers as well, closing her eyes. 

"I, Alpha Carter and Onacona, welcome you Annie and Sarah into the Ash Pack. I request that you do everything in your power to protect and serve this pack with your life, is this understood?" His head still bowed. 

The girls now bowed their heads, "Yes Alpha" they said in unison. 

Although Amber has not connected with her wolf yet, she could feel the tension build in the crowd. 

"I, Alpha Carter and Onacona, now request my pack to open their hearts and souls to these two beautiful women as they join our pack. I ask that you respect them and protect each other."

A chorus of "Yes Alpha's" filled the crowd. 

Amber felt the tension suddenly multiply and her fingers twitched at the feeling, making every hair on her arms stand up. 

Suddenly the girls fell to the floor, the sound of bones breaking and clothes tearing. Their garments that they once wore were on the ground in tatters. Their skin became thick with fur. Their faces elongated, and their hands turned into paws. It was clear to Amber that the girls were in pain, and uncomfortable with the transition. Amber also knew that nobody's first transition was ever easy, which slightly made her uncomfortable to think about. 

By the time the girls had fully shifted Annie was a small petite grey wolf, with hazel brown eyes. Her sister Sarah was a slightly smaller grey wolf that was darker in color and also had hazel eyes. Amber looked on in awe, and snuck a gaze at Wave and Crest. Wave felt her eyes on him, and he quickly looked at her only to look back at the wolves next to them. Whereas Crest was so engulfed and so shocked she looked like she wanted to cry. 

With a loud howl all the pack members began their transition, one after one each morphing into their wolves as the ceremony was almost complete and the last thing they had to do was go for a pack run. After Wave and Crest's parents had fully shifted it was left for Marian and Carter to transition. Carter looked at his wife lovingly before he began. It took only seconds that if Amber had blinked her eyes she would have missed it altogether. Onacona was beautiful, he was a large all black wolf, he appeared to be built like a tank. He had large joints, a huge muzzle with jagged teeth that were so white and sparkly they looked as if they were made from fine china.  His howl shook the ground he stood on, and his claws dug into the ground leaving craters where his paws were. When his transition was complete he quickly turned behind him and took off into the woods, Steven following behind him, and Julie behind him. Quickly the rest of the pack followed the group of three, and the girls in the middle of the pack freshly transitioned. When the entire pack ran into the woods, Marian quickly gathered the kids and walked them into a nearby tent. 

Marian smiled when all three of the children gathered into the tent, luckily in times before this there were many more children to gather and safely keep together, but this time there was only the three children. Two women followed Marian and the kids into the tent. Both women heavily pregnant and unable to transition in fear of harming their children on the pack run. In addition two elderly men and one woman also walked into the tent, too old to safely run with the pack. In case that the pack gets attached on their run by other creatures they had to be prepared to battle, which is why all of the weaker links in the pack were to stick together until the Alpha and the warriors get back. 

Marian smiled "I'll be right back loves, DO NOT move" she stated, a hard expression on her face. "We will be back in thirty minutes." She quickly gave Amber a kiss on the forehead and ran out of the tent. Shortly after she left Amber heard a howl, undoubtedly her Mother's as she called to the pack to catch up. 

The group of people now sitting quietly in the tent chattering among themselves in the meantime. 

After a few moments Amber looked at her two friends as they sat their the tent, "so what do you guys want to do in the meantime?" A large smile across her face.