"You are thin, unkempt, and rowdy" With the light of the rising sun behind them. The four young women stood in a straight line as Max lashed at them with his words. "Individual you all are a mess. Compared to tribal women you all fall short" He continued as he walked from one end of their short line to the other, his hands held behind his back.
"You'd already be mated and a father if only you knew how to talk to a woman." Tina bared her teeth and glared her duo-colored eyes at her brother's slander.
"Not like there are any women around to practice with." Max didn't miss a beat as he shot back a response.
"What he means is." Jackson interjected before the siblings could get into a spat."Divided you will lose, but together you have a chance."
The girls nodded.
Max regained his calm and continued to speak. "During the selection, you'll have to work together to make it through the trials."
"And if we can't?" Tina once again spoke out. Max ignored her comment.
"We won't have enough time to fix your weakness. So we can only reinforce your strengths while slowly hiding away your flaws" He pointed at one of the young women than another.
"Tina and Sofi's calm observation, sharp minds, and blunt arguments." He pointed at another young woman. "Jenna's wild nature, speed, and strength." Finally, he pointed at the last of the women. "And Denia affiliation and endurance. These are your strengths. And for the next 6 weeks and 4 days, you will enhance them "
"As for your weaknesses." Max gestured to the rest of their pack, who was standing in a group opposite of the young women. " We will help you hide them."
Denia, as well as the rest of the girls, dragged her eyes along the group. Some of them were smiling gently, some had defeated grins plastered on their lips and displeased eyes. Some, still had yesterday's frowns buried twice as deep on their scrolling mugs.
But they were where all present and their strong and solid stance spoke of their willingness to aid the girls in any way they could.
Denia couldn't help but ball her hands into tight fists. No matter what she hinted at last night. Deep down, she knew that she could not pull this off alone. And honestly, she would not want to succeed if it meant that she would leave her Uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters behind. But she also knew that as the head of her own little family, the survival of her blood came first.
They all understood this, thus, today, though there were those who were unhappy. None of them blamed her for her words and decisions.
Denia bowed her head. She was grateful.
"No time to relax" Max's voice brought her back into the present. "Before the day is up, we'll make you hate us."
After the initial speech. Each of the men took the time to explain when and how there would be helping the girls train. From morning exercises, tracking classes, hunting classes to self-defense, and simple combat moves.
Though the wolves gave them the when in where. They didn't know the 'what' of Luna selection and they could only cover all of the basics.
"As for your looks," After the men gave their schedule it was Danna and Vicky's turn to explain their role. "We have prepared a diet that would fatten you up a bit and a facial and hair regime that will clear your skin and detangle your hair."
As rogues, the scariest time of the year was winter. Few prey wandered around in the cold. And the men would have to spend the time in the wolf forme huddling around the women to keep warm.
The wolf form used a lot of energy to maintain which meant that they need to eat a lot more. Thus, from the end to the start of winter, the majority of their food was put aside as winter rations.
At the moment they barely had enough to spend a full month in winter. But for summer, the same ration could comfortably feed their pack of 18 for a full 10 weeks.
After they had come to the decision last night. The group had put aside their own personal opinion and formed a plan.
The girls would present themselves as members of a small tribe and enter the luna selection. In order to play the role. If one of them were to win the selection, the other three would return to their temporary camps, and wait 2 weeks before returning to the tribe with the rest of the pack as the friends and family willing to join.
In order to pull off this plan. They all needed to look presentable.
Meaning, being of a healthy weight and having decent hygiene.
"We'll first have breakfast, and then we'll return to the lake"
At the end of the day. Denia was sore and her stomach felt both full and empty. For the first time since they fled their fallen tribe. She had eaten breakfast, lunch and was currently sitting down for the third meal of the day. Dinner.
She had to run around like crazy, learned worlds and shapes until her head hurt. And had been thrown and tossed like a bag of provision. Whatever energy she consumed had been thoroughly spent but her stomach and intestines were displeased by the sudden increase in food. She had already gone to nature twice today.
And if the grumbling and twisting in her gut was an indication, she will be going again soon.
Placing down her grool of wild rice, garlic, and jerky. Denia turned her attention to her siblings.
The twins were swallowing down their meal without care. However Tony was frowning down at his bowl.
"You have to eat if you want to gain any weight" Her Brown eyes smiled down at her brother as she passed her hand over his head. Earlier that day, they had all cut their hair. The girls' were cut short, barely past their ears, washed and treated for lice and ticks. Whereas the boys' and men's heads were shaved bald.
Tony looked up at his sister, his eyes appearing Widder more sullen now that there was no mane to distract from his face.
"Can we really eat all of this?" His voice slightly trembled. Earing his words, the twins also stopped eating and looked up at their sister. Lola went so far as to pick out a few jerky with her boney fingers and shoved them into her pocket. Saving them for later.
Denia, stoped her hand, took the pieces, and fed them to her.
"It's okay" She insured. "Soon you'll be able to eat a lot more. Things that are even more delicious than this."
Lola's eyes shone like stars.
"Really?" She questioned, And Denia nodded.
"Really Really?" Lilly cheered in and Denia couldn't help but grin as she barely managed to pinch at their sunken cheeks
"Yes, from now on, you can eat three times a day."
Convinced the twins went back to eaten their meal, their pace greatly increased.
"Is this really okay?" Tony had been paying attention to their conversation but unlike the girls, he was not so easily convinced.
Denia looked at him. She knew he was older than his malnourished body appeared but that fact in itself tore at her heart.
"Eat" She says, leading by example as she retrieved her own bowl of food. Tony watched her drown half the bowl before fallowing.
Cleaning her bowl, Denia stood from her seat and turned towards the wilderness. The gentleness and warmth she displayed in the presence of her siblings, replaced by hard determination and cold dedication.
The sun was just about to set but her day was far from over.
.....
"You sure wandered far." A familiar voice, the very last she had expected to hear, drew Denia's attention. Her eyes snapped open and she stood from the rock where she sat crossed legged in meditation.
"Marie-jane." She hopped off the somewhat large bolder and offered a hand as she led the older woman to a smaller stone. "You shouldn't be wandering around on your own." Her words were stern but when speaking to the oldest member of their group, it was impossible not to use a caring and gentle tone. Marie, after all, was the mother of their pack.
"The world is far more dangerous for you than it is for me" Marie waved off the young woman's concern as she sat."If i get in danger, all I have to do is die. You still have to survive" She said with a grin. Denia signed helplessly.
"Your jokes aren't funny"
"You lack a sense of humor is all" The old woman was unbothered, instead she placed the broken branch she used as a cane on her lap and gestured for Denia to get back up on the boulder.
"Show me how you work," She commanded.
Denia wasted no time on words and climbed the rock, returning to what looked like meditation.
In fact, what attacked wolves to female shifters was their pheromones. A scent that could barely be picked up by their male counterparts but which wolves seemed to adore.
When finishing for wolves, Denia concentrated on defusing her scent in a large area. Her pheromone would tease their sense and ignite curiosity, gently leading them to the source. Of Course, the further her scent traveled the weaker it became. Thus the closer the wolves came to her the stronger the scent and the more they wished to follow it.
However, there was a limit to how far she could defuse her scent, and wolves would need to wander into her range before it could be baited. Thus much like regular fishing, it soon became a waiting game where patience was key.
Marie-jane remained quiet, her posture is as unmoving as Denia's. Five minutes, ten, then thirty almost an hour had passed when a lone wolf finally entered the small clearing and cautiously approached the boulder.
As if sensing its presence, Denia slowly opened her eyes and climbed down, the wolf took two steps back then one forward. Denia lowered herself to its height and reach out a hand. The wolf sniffed the air then the hand. And within a few seconds, it was in her embrace. It licked her face, whined to be petted, and acted like they had been bound for many years already.
"We missed Breakfast, Vicky won't be pleased." Marie- Jane hummed. Her tone was not scolding but Denoia still felt dissatisfied.
Last night she had stayed out very late but only met with two wolves. This morning she had woken up long before the sun had risen and only now, mid-morning did she meet this one wolf.
If her luck was good, we would meet with 6 wolves in total on an average day. If it was bad she would meet with 2.
For their own personal gains, these numbers were enough but her strength was her affiliation, her ability to attract wolves. Doesn't that mean that she would have to rely on chance when the time came?
Watching as the young woman fell into an obvious depression filled with anxiety and fear hidden behind a mask of ice. Marie-jane took her branch in both hands and used it to stand.
"You are a bit young, but with your talent you should be able to learn it" She spoke more to herself than to the other but Denia still stood up, holding out a hand as she aids the elder to the center of the plain. The wolf Denia had finally managed to fish in, cautiously back off the side, sat down, and look curiously at them from a distance.
"Hold my cane." Marie offered over the branch. Denia accepted it and then took four big steps back when she was shooed away by the hand.
Marie-jane, as an old woman who walked with a hunch, even when she sat it was with a slight curve in her upper back. She had a bust right behind her neck. Usually, the sizable bump was hidden beneath her masse of long grey hair, but since she had cut it, silver stands barely brushed the tip of the hump.
Now, as if witnessing a miracle, Denia watch as Marie-jane slowly straightened her back. She was not a tall woman, but from a distance, her slender frame standing upright gave her the appearance of heigh. She stretched out her arms. And Denia felt a sudden gust of wind. It was short like a pulse and it repeated frantically at first but it soon found a rhyme.
The wolf that was looking on in curiosity perked up its ear, it sniffed the air and soon shot to Marie's feet. It lowered itself and sniffed licked at her feet like a subject protruding before a king, or queen.
Not even five minutes later, two more wolves shot forth from the threes surrounded the plain, and like the first, bowed at her feet. Ten minutes later Marie-Jane had retrieved her arm and was once again hunched over only this time, 6 wolves happily wagged their tail back and forth at her feet.
Denia recovered from her shock and approached her elder, returning the cane-like branch.
"Thank you darling"
The wolves at Marie's feet sniffed at Denia as she approached and slowly turned their attention to her, leaving Marie's side to be at hers.
Denia kneeled and pet their heads.
"Frikkled bastards aren't they" Marie snorted. Denia raised her head. Her mind was blank, blown by what she had just witnessed. Thankfully her tongue seemed to know just what to say.
"You called them"
Marie-jane nodded.
"I don't know what or how they will test you, but I do know that they are not going to sit around and wait for you to get an opportunity to show them what you got.
Your affiliation is high, Wild wolves may come to you willingly. But most tribes breed their wolves and have their women bound with them from young. A bounded wolf won't come to you randomly, especially if their mistress is present. You'll have to call them."
Denia heard all her words but she could barely understand them. She could only stare at her elder, eyes shining in praise and excitement. Marie-jane chuckled, she was quite please, for once this child was acting her age.
"Come along, you'll have to eat both breakfast and lunch as one if we linger." Gesturing for them to go back, Marie took a step and wavered.
Denia instinctively shot to her feet and supported the older woman.
"Are you-" The words were shocked in her throat at the sight of blood trailing from the elderly woman's nose.
All praise and excitement were washed from her face. Denia became pale as she silently panics.
Marie-jane on the other hand seemed unbothered as she simply regained her balance and wiped the blood away with the back of her hand.
"Seems i really am getting old." She grinned, her face stained with red. She took a step forward again, showing she was okay and capable of movement on her own. Still, Denia refused to put any distance between them and hovered at her side.
As they returned to their camp, the wolves first followed behind but after sensing they were being ignored, they soon lost interest and went about their day
"Soon" Color had returned to Denia's face, but her eyes didn't show any of the brightness they had just a few moments before. Instead, they were hardened and cold. It didn't match the words of comfort she spoke next "you won't have to work so hard"
Marie-jane wanted to tease her "Is that so?"
When Denia simply nodded her head. The temperature in her cold gaze further dropped.
A much younger Marie-jane could have been crippled with fear. But the current woman grinned.
"I'll look forward to it"
.....
In an office some distance away. A tall, tanned, and arguably handsome young man was hunched over a small pile of documents. On his left was a medium pile and on his right a large tower. Finishing the document he had at hand. The young man placed it at the top of the tower and leaned back on his seat.
A tired hand reaching up to massage the bridge of his nose to ease the discomfort from his exhausted eyes.
Glancing at the pile he still needed to get through, a sigh escaped his lips and his hand journeyed from his nose to his hairline and ran a finger down his head of smooth hazel hair.
He closed his eyes, telling himself that a few short minutes would do him good when a short but heavy knock came to his door followed by an unauthorized entry.
The man who enters was not as tall, he was not tan, but dark nor was he young or could be said to be handsome. But his very presence commanded respect and attention.
He crossed the large office with wide steady steps and stopped right before the young man's desk.
"You're still at it" It was not a question but a statement. One the young man felt needed a replay.
"It needs to be done"
"Hm" The intruder dismissively glance over at the large tower of documents, put his hand in his pockets, and tossed something over at the man behind the desk.
Even exhausted, his alpha genes were outstanding. He caught the unknown object instinctively. Curious, he opens his palm and stared down at a single bean.
"What?" Confused, blue eyes met with stoic grey in wounder.
"Chew on that for energy." The older man demanded and turned on his heel. His years in military training echoed in his every step. "You're running late for the council meeting"
"Shit" The young man tossed the bean into his mouth and began to frantically chew. "Shit, shit" He continued to swear as he quickly followed behind the shorter man's back as he fixed his hair, clothes and tried his best not to look like he hadn't had a proper night's sleep in over a week.
Theodore was tall, young, tanned, and handsome. He was also the inexperienced Chief alpha of the Crystal Waters tribe.
A week ago, his father met his untimely death in a hunting accident. This would have been unbelievable if the witchdoctor hadn't disclosed that in fact his father had been suffering from incurable illness for years and should not have been allowed to hunt at all.
In fact, his father was strongly recommended to retire, but as he only had one young son, he was determined to keep up airs and successfully passed the mantle when the time was right.
Theodore had been raised by his father alone. He was not spoilt per se, but his father had not been a stuck parent. As long as he was happy, his father was happy.
However, over a week ago, Theodore was faced with his own ignorance. He was the next in line, a full adult, yet he knew nothing of the tribe. He was young but not young enough not to seek knowledge on the people and lives he was meant to lead. He had no accomplishments to speak of and as his educational background, mediocre at best.
at his age, others were mated, with children and a solid path they followed. While he e was still standing at the starting block, lingering.
He had lived his life with the concept that there will always be tomorrow. Only now, his father was dead and tomorrow was today and he had to take his rightful position as Chief Alpha.
Only, the council didn't feel like he deserved it. They fought against his left and right and made countless demands which had him bending backward to please them.
The duo arrived at the end of a well-decorated stone hall and paused just before a circle stone entrance hid away behind a heavy leather curtain.
The older man turned on his heels, Theodore glanced down at him, feeling somewhat satisfied to have these big officials looking up to him.
"Watch your words"
With those words, all his satisfaction vanished as if it had never existed.
"Thank you" He forced the words through his lips with a nod. The man stared at him some more, his eyes showing nothing. Before turning again and pushing away the curtain as he led the way in.
"Kind of you to join us alpha"
This was the council room.
It held three tables in all. A two-seater square table at the head, followed by a single-seated stone desk directly adjacent. And a much larger rectangular table at the bottom. It was positioned so that once seated they would all face each other.
The rectangular table was already full with all twelve council members sitting seemingly patient.
In actuality, they were annoyed, hence, the snappy comment that greeted Theodor's entry.
"I got distracted," The young Chief explained as he took one of the seats on the two-seater. The military man that led him in sat on the singular desk. Only the chair beside Theodore was unoccupied, the luna's seat.
"I'll first read off the order of business" The moment he sat down, the council wasted no time and got straight into their usual manner of progressing. The speaker stood up and read out this week's topics. No one seemed to react to the list of things they had to get through. No one of course, but Theodore.
"What about the Luna Selection?" He asked. Thirteen sets of eyes turned to him.
"What about it?" The speaker questioned back.
"Shouldn't it be planned?" The confused chief vocally pondered. He had never planned anything but for an event as big as the Luna selection he would think that 6 weeks was cutting it close.
"It should be, but not in your presence" Another council member voiced out. Their tone was bland and flat as if this information was obvious.
Theodor frowned.
"Don't you think i should have an opinion on how my future mate is chosen?" He questioned. A week ago he had a girlfriend he loved and whom he wholeheartedly thought he would one day, officially mate with for life. Now he was engaged to a woman he did not even know. A woman whom no one knew. The definition of a perfect stranger.
"Alpha," The first speaker who was still standing and seemed particularly annoyed for the distraction sighed "The Luna selection is not to choose your perfect lover. It's to select a Perfect Luna" They explained with the same patient one would have with a child. "Please don't make such a mistake again."
Theodor wanted to laugh, under the desk, his hands balled into fists and he did all he could not sneer.
"I see" He managed to push the words through his teeth.
On the desk Adjacent, a voice called out and permanently ended the topic.
"First order of business."
......
As always, comment like and I hope to see you next time.