Time passed quickly as the initiates completed the first trial. When the smaller fire had burned down to embers, Elder Ingrid struck the gong again, calling the young wolves back to the center of the clearing. They formed their circles again, each now holding a wooden idol that reflected their success in the trial.
I noticed that the quality and detailing of the idols varied greatly—some were simple, almost crude representations of wolves, while others were intricately carved with remarkable detail. Freya, I saw, held one of the most beautiful—a leaping wolf with every strand of fur distinct, its eyes inlaid with what appeared to be tiny amber stones that caught the firelight.
The ceremony that followed was unlike anything I'd ever witnessed—beautiful in its solemnity, powerful in its sy
