Sephora's POV
I stood on the ledge of the cliff and watched the pack. The night sky was an inky black and moon was a crescent. In a few days, it would be a full moon. A new lunar month and a new child to be born in to the pack."The land is beautiful, Suprema Sephora."I was startled and looked behind me. A lady walked up behind me, half hidden by the dark but soon the light of the moon revealed her face. It was Kali. I relaxed and resumed my gazing. It was getting lonely and I would really appreciate her company.We stood silently side by side and took in the magnificent view was as the light of the crescent moon bathed the lands below."Your heart is heavy."I looked at her. How did she know? Was it that obvious?"Yes Kali," said I with a sigh. I couldn't lie to her. It would never work anyway."Your reign as Suprema might soon end in a few days. But then again, your successor might been born on another full moon."I looked at the shining crescent moon. The winds did not lie."No Kali. I can feel it in my blood. She is coming in a few days. I hear her name in the wind."I watched her smile. He face was beautiful and youthful. Hiding her age. I didn't know when she was born but she had seen countless Suprema's before me."The instincts of the Suprema have never been wrong. In that case, you must prepare. You know what you must do.""Yes I do."We stood there on the cliff edge and continued looking at the idyllic pack from below. The female wolves played with each other under the moon light. Some had gone on the hunt and others tended to the young ones. It was all peaceful, as an all-female pack should be. No strife, no war, no corruption. Soon I would be apart of this world no more.The night grew darker and it was time to leave. Kali walked me back to the Suprema's palace."Rest Sephora. You need it."She walked away as she always did. Enshrouded in mystery. Mystery that only the pack shaman could have.I headed to my room and lay in bed. I was restless. The winds howled and on every howl, I could hear them telling me of my end. The world I had been born into, the pack I had led for so long would soon be gone. I finally closed my eyes to sleep and in my dreams I could see the name of my successor. It was etched in my head. There was no clearer sign than this.Early the next morning, the sun rose over the horizon and it birthed a bright day. I stepped out of the pack house and admired the glorious wolf empire. It's existence was not known to ordinary folk and it had preserved through the ages. The stone walls were elegantly carved and the designs were intricate. I stepped out and the wolves in standing in line waiting for my orders.I walked among my beautiful and powerful warriors. They stood tall and strong and fearless. My voice was loud but laced with grief."Sisters! The Moon-Goddess has blessed us. We are a tribe of powerful women. Our empire has lasted centuries and it has been peaceful. Today I stand before you to tell you that I shall soon, no longer lead you. A new Suprema is coming. I hear her name in the winds, when I walk beside the Lunaria, the rushing waters say her name. I just wanted to let you all know that it has been an honor serving you all."I could see their faces fill with despair. I had served them long and well. I could not lead forever. I looked among the ranks and saw a wolf walk towards me. It was Kali. The wolves bowed slightly as she walked in with mysterious grace."Mistress Kali, what news do you bring us from the Goddess?"She walked infront of Sephora and delivered a deep bow."Suprema Sephora, your instincts are right. The new Suprema is coming soon."I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. The Goddess had sketched my fate. I could only accept it."It is settled then. Preparations shall be made for her reception and training. Sisters, you all may leave."The other wolves left and I was alone with my second-in-command, Luna Artemisia, and Kali.Kali looked at me and smiled."Why did I have the feeling that you are happy giving away the mantle of leadership?"Sephora smiled back."What leader would I be without a successor?""Wisely said. You shall be the one to train her. She must not know who you really are."I had been preparing for this day for a while. I was well aware of the codes. I looked at Artemisia and she looked miserable. I could see her holding back tears. I could tell she wanted to talk to me but Kali had beat her too it."Dear Artemisia, could you please leave us alone?""Yes Mistress Kali."I watched her she hurried away and disappeared around a corner. I looked at Kali and she guided me back into the ancient stone pack house. It was quiet and we were all alone."Does the coming of the new moon scare you Sephora?"My heart skipped beats."Why should it?"Kali sighed sadly."Her birth will mark your death."My heart sank a little and I was solemn. Who was mad enough not to fear death?"I'm aware Kali but who am I to refuse my destiny. I came and I shall leave, as all living things do. Who am I to think otherwise?"Kali exhaled sadly. Her countenance was unmistakable."You have always been a wise and noble leader."Kali turned away from me and I saw that she was quite upset."Does my departure upset you mistress?""Yes but that isn't what bothers we. I sat at the Lunaria and spoke to it's waters. Your successor might be... unconventional."Unconventional? I was even more intrigued. My fear turned to curiousity. I wanted to meet this successor of mine."And that bothers you? We all come from the Lunaria with a different purpose."Kali sighed deeply."Well spoken Suprema. But we have been a hidden and prosperous empire for years. Peace has lasted and has been kept. I fear it might change. One can only feel that happiness is not meant to last.""Change is constant Mistress Kali. We change as it does and so does the waters of the Lunaria. But happiness shall remain as long as we have our hearts set on it."Kali smiled and looked up at me. Her beautiful and powerful features were like no other. He hair was a jet black and it reached far past her lower back. He famous black silk always flowed behind her with even the slightest breeze."You are right you are. The full moon is in four days. You must prepare. Talk to the sisters and Artemisia. I fear she will miss you the most. I saw her face as she left and I could read her heart. She has always looked up to you."I watched as Kali left with a smile. She was a mysterious woman. I had met Kali when I was little but she never seemed to age. She could be decades old or older but she looked just as young as I did. Her wolf was an elegant black and the only black one in the pack.I watched as she disappeared around the corner and I was alone. She exhaled and looked at the stone walls. This history of my pack, Mystic Shadow, was painted on them. I stroked the picture of my precessor and sighed. I missed her so much and sadly what I did to her would happen to me eventually.She stepped back from the painting and admired the wall one final time. It was time to prepare. I had only four days to get everything in place. I had to give my final instructions to the pack. Everything had to be perfect else the transition would be hitched. I needed Artemisia but where was she?Sephora's POV I walked outside and into the glorious sun. I walked among my people and soon, the kids were swarming all over me. They pounced on me and I fell down playfully. They were simply a delight."Suprema Sephora, look what I can do."The young girl shifted into her wolf and closed her eyes. A pebble on the ground began to levitate and I picked it from mid air."Wonderful little one. If you keep practicing, you shall be a powerful wolf."The little girl shifted back and the others around playfully swarmed on her."You are such a show off."I got off the ground and left the little ones to their game. My wolf pack was a magical one. We had all been born from the waters of the Lunaria stream under the essence of the full moon. As we were bestowed with their wolf, we were each given a unique element to possess. The little child had definitely been given the gift of the earth.We were also well trained in hand to hand combat and I could see some older wolves training. I stopped to
Sephora's POVFour days came sooner than I thought. The entire pack was buzzing with activity. The sisiters no longer called me the Suprema and the little ones did the same. Today was finally the day. The new Suprema was going to be born. Her birth would mark my death and the end of my journey in this world. It was my duty to train her and after, I would pass away by her hand when she caeme of age. That was how the change of power worked in Mystic Shadow. No one could question it.Artemisia stood close by my side all day. I could feel her worry. Though it woud take another eighteen years for me to get my successor ready, time seemed to move faster when one knew that her days were numbered.Torch stands were erected as they would guide the path to the waters of the mystical stream. Fire was the elemnt of the Suprema alone. No one else had her element.The day seemed to move too slowy for me. I sat on my little cliff looking at the sky and watching my sisters prepare for the child. Arte
Sephora's POVI walked outside and the moon was bright and it's glow bathed the entire land. The sisters were all ready. Artemisia walked up to me from behind and handed me the white veil that I was meant to put on. I smiled and took it from her and covered my long flowing brown hair. We couldn't proceed, however, without Kali.I didn't have to wait too long as she soon appeared. The moon light made her look even more mysterious as her black mist intertwined with the moon's bluish glow."Sephora, are you ready?"I nodded. Could I 'not be ready'?"Yes Mistress Kali."There was nothing left to do. Kali gave me a flaming torch and I walked infront of the procession. As we took a step, I would light the torches that the sisters had set up that led all the way to the waters of the Lunaria.As I lighted each torch, the path grew brighter and brighter and the sky was set alight with the moon's glow and fire. I was filled with anxiety and excitement. I couldn't wait to meet the new Suprema. H
Sequoia's POV I crept around the pack house with Niylah following me quietly behind. The house was quiet and Sephora was not around. Niylah was nervous and she tried to stop me. She was always such a sticker for the rules. Everyone thought her to be the most disciplined wolf of our time."Sequoia, we need to stop this. We might get caught."I hushed her and continued to creap around. I knew that sister Sephora was hiding something from me. I was seventeen and she had been really sneaky and secretive. She was always hiding stuff and talking in whispers to sister Artemisia. I hated Artemisia. She had this cruel look in her eyes and she was always very hard on me, especially when we trained. Having her take the fighting lesson was like living a nightmare. I was never good enough for her.Suddenly, Niylah grabbed my arm."Sequoia stop this!" she said in a tense whisper. "Sephora will catch us sneaking around and you know how mad she will be."I sighed and looked back at Niylah. She was
Sequoia's POVWe walked out of the pack house into the warm sun. I carried the spears and was significantly slower than Sephora. Her strides were long and prideful and I scurried to her side."Sister Sephora, where are we going?"She said nothing to me and simply took one of the spears from my hands and we pressed on. As we walked, the other sisters stared at us and I could decifer sneaky whispers. They were always whispering behind my back. I never really paid attention but now, I knew something was wrong.We disappeared into the forest and the greenery took over. The flowers here bloomed with elegance and beauty. The red and purple swayed in the wind like candles in the windy night. We passed a stream and I stopped briefly to look at the little fish swim against the current. It looked so magical though I had been in here many..."Sequoia, you are behind. Come."Sephora called me and I walked up to catch her. Soon we reached a clearing and she set the tip of her spear into the groun
Sephora's POVThe walk was quiet and I could feel Sequoia's eyes on me. I was deeply troubled but I did not look at her, instead, I turned my attention to the flowers in the field. They were beautiful, blazing with colour, just like Sequoia's fire, like 'my' fire. We continued to walk to the pack house and there was still a silence between us and yet in the silence, I could still hear the many questions of Sequoia's heart. There was still so much to tell her but she couldn't know about them yet.As we approached, Artemisia walked up to us and by her side was Niylah. She looked quite tired but happy all the same."I take it that you two had a nice day."Niylah was itching to say so much but Artemisia restrained her."It was good," said Artemisia flatly. I smiled at Artemisia."You need to lighten up, sister. How about we all go and eat together?"We walked inside and found the table already set. I was surprised because I had not asked anyone to set the meal yet. Artemisia turned to m
Sequoia's POV"Niylah! Wait up! Stop! Your Suprema commands you!" I ran after her, panting, but she was quick, dodging through the trees and soon she disappeared into the dark. The mokk wasn't bright enough to see where she went and instead it casted eerie shadows on everything that it's light touched. I stopped on a rock to rest. I knew she was around here somewhere, watching me, waiting for me to be off guard so that she could pounce on me, like she always did.I had a bright idea and immediately shifted into my wolf, my bright orange and red flames filled the clearing I was in with light. The shadows were pushed back andy light burnt bright into the night, rivaling that of the moon's.I heard a twig snap and I turned sharply around but there was no one. Suddenly I felt a presence but I was too slow to get out of the way. Niylah emerged from he hiding place and had pounced on me, pinning me to the ground. She too was in her wolf form. Her eyes were a deep blue, her white coat patte
Sequoia's POVI looked at Mistress Kali stunned. Niylah looked at me and shrugged. There was nothing else to do. We sat beside Kali and watched the petals. They just sat there, no movement at all.Kali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The gentle breeze began to pick up and suddenly, the petals moved with the current. We all watched and soon Kali urged us to stand up and follow the petals as they flowed down the stream.The petals danced, swirling and criss-crossing each other elegantly but never touching. It was beautiful, mesmerizing. Niylah smiled at me as we watched the petals flow down with grace.The winds soon began to pick up and something blew across my cheek. It was a split second and then I saw it: a blue petal. It floated down into the stream and danced next to mine and Niylah's. It was an intricate dance but soon Niylah's petal got left behind and mine was left dancing with the blue petal. It continued for a while until it reached the rapids of the river. The curre