Hide and Seek

Awaken

The week following the loss of the Alpha and Luna was quietly busy. Almost every pack member came together in a hustle and bussle to put together a ceramony for Corinthian's parents. And although there was so much endless movement all around, the level of sorrow throughout the pack made it feel like talking above a whisper would be to much for anyone.

During a ceramonal send off to the Moon Goddess, during the first full moon after death, a wolf's pack would lay the body of their fallen pack member on a Pyres, a platform made of logs and branches. A high ranking pack memeber, usually the Alpha, would speak on behalf of the deceased, sending a prayer to their Goddess. Then they would light the pyres on fire. As the smoke lifted the spirit into the heavens, the pack would shift into their wolf form and howl towards the moon, helping the spirit find its way home.

Because the the plain that the Alpha and Luna had been traveling on had gone down somewhere over the Atlantic ocean, The ceramonal pyres that would be lit on fire would be empty. The pack would carry on with the ceramony anyway, doing all that they could do, to help their Alpha's and Luna's spirit find its way home.

Joined by many members from allied packs, who had close bonds with the Alpha and Luna, the Steel moon pack gathered in a large clearing a few hundred feet past the tree line behind the pack house on the night of the full moon following their death. As the moon rose in the sky, Jayce's father, with tears streaming down his face, recited a prayer to the Moon Goddess, asking her to make the journey for the Alpha and Luna home to her peaceful, to welcome them home with love, to make sure they new how loved they were by those they left behind, and to watch over them now, as he, himself, no longer had the ability to do so. As the moon reached its highest point in the sky, a set of empty pyres was set on fire.

All of those present in the clearing, a well as hundreds more who couldn't be there in person, but where connected to there pack mates who were there through their mind link, transformed into their wolves and began howling towards the moon.

The sound of thousands of wolves shifting together brought on a thunderous rumble. The cries of thousands of wolves howling from all around them, near and far, was so loud that the boys had to cover their ears.

Jayce could not only see, but feel the pride as he looked over at Corinthian, who stood tall, with tears in his eyes, between the two pyres, looking out at all of the wolves howling for is parents. Suddenly Corinthian's expression changed into one of pain. Jayce dashed toward his best friend as Corinthian crashed to his knees. But before Jayce reach Corinthian, Jayce's father's wolf had blocked him, stopping him in his tracks.

Jayce tried to fight his way past his father, but his father, using their mind link commanded him in his Beta tone."Be still and watch!" It had been the first time in his life that his father had used his Beta rank on him. For a moment he felt hurt by it. But as he did what he was commanded to do, the hurt over the command instantly dissapated into a sence of awe, as he watched his best friend transform for the first time into his wolf.

"I, I dont understand!, isn't he still to young for his wolf to wake up yet?" Jayce asked out loud. Still using his mind link his father explained. "Yes, son. He is still far to young for his wolf to be awake, normally, ones wolf will not awaken before a pup turns eighteen, this insures that the human body is ready for our first shift into our wolf forms. But as the next in line to be Alpha, when the moon Goddess acceptes her children home, she sometimes chooses to wake up the next Alpha's wolf. So that he could take his father's place as his whole self. This means that even though we will still have the traditional ceramony for Corinthian to become our Alpha, we technically don't have to, because the Moon Goddess just chose him for the job for us."

Jayce stood, watching this best friend with pride as he stood up on four legs for the first time. Corinthian's wolf, tipped his head back as the other wolves had done, and howled toward the moon. All of the members of the steel moon pack, still in wolf form, lowered there heads to the ground, bowing before there new Alpha. Jayce knelt down, next to his father's wolf, put his fist on his chest and bowed his head. Johnny, seeing his older brother, followed his lead and knelt down next to his mother's wolf. The wolves attending, not of their pack, all gave a slow accepting nod. Letting the Steel Moon pack know that they had accepted Corinthian's ascension as Alpha and would remain allies.

As Corinthian's wolf let out a second howl, all of the wolfs joined him, sending out a final farewell to his parents. Knowing, that with the awaking of their new Alpha's wolf being so young, that the spirits of their former Alpha and Luna had found their way home, and been accepted by the Moon goddess.

Although the saddess would continue to remain in all who loved them, and even though they would be more then missed, knowing that they were now with their Goddess gave the Steel Moon pack, close friends and allies, and specially the boys a feeling of relief. Relief knowing that their spirits wouldn't remain lingering, lost on earth. Relief that they would some day earn the chance to be reunited. Relief knowing that their Moon Goddess was still their.

After the ceremony, a small amount of their allies as well as a few pack members gave their condolences, and said their good byes to get back home to their young pups. The rest of their allies joined the Steel Moon pack, led by Corinthian's wolf, in a pack run. This event was not part of the ceremonial send off, but had been a tradition as it helped to settle the emotions of the wolf, as a good run was always good for the soul. because Jayce's and Johnny's wolves had not yet awaken, their parents carried them on their backs for the run.

The run took the wolves around the boarder of their territory and then back to the clearing, where they shifted back, got redressed, and with more condolences, said their goodbyes. by the time Corinthian, the Beta family, and the Gamma got back to the pack house, the eastern sky had already began to lighten with the promiss of the rising sun. The following day would remain as quiet on the Steel Moon territory as had been the days prior to the ceremony. Not because of the over whelming sorrow, but because most of the pack slept most of the day away.

Now that Corinthian had been choosen by the Moon Goddess to be the Alpha of the Steel Moon pack, his time as a care free boy was no more. At fifteen years old, Corinthian now had all of the responsibilities of both of his parents. Instead of letting Corinthian step into his parent's shoes alone, both Jayce and Johnny chose to give up their childhood days and train along side their best friend, chosen brother and Alpha.

The following month, during the next full moon, Then Steel Moon pack held their traditional ceramony to welcome Corinthian into his leadership. All of the Steel Moon pack members had attended, as well as every Alpha, some of their Lunas, a few of their kids, and one Beta, from allied packs. The acceding ceramony was performed By Jayce and Johnny's father, with the assistance of their mother. Next, the Beta, Beta female, and Gamma of the steel moon pack took turns to sware an oath of protection and submission to Corinthian. Finally, the rest of the Steel Moon pack, in unison recited their oath to their Alpha, also promissing their protection and submission.

With in the next few years, although their training had become different because only Corinthian now had his Wolf, Jayce and Johnny trained along side their Alpha. All three boys trained hard, studied hard, and even though only Corinthian had accended into his leadership role, all three boys took their current and future roles very seriously.