Sephora's POV
The 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 me."I had the table set. I figured that you would be hungry when you got back.""And you didn't eat?""The Goddess encourages us to eat as a family."I smiled at Artemisia but all she did was give a polite nod. We all sat down to eat and I watched as Niylah and Sequoia whispered to each other about their day. I smiled. I remembered when I and Artemisia were like that. As close as two sisters should be but things had changed terribly and even more so now that Sequoia had been born.It had been 18 years and as time had passed by, Artemisia had become quieter and stiffer. She hardly smiled and it compromised her powerful beauty. I was about 70years but I looked like I was 25. Artemisia and I were about the same age but she looked less youthful than I did.The meal was eaten in silence, except for Sequoia's whispers with Niylah. Soon we were done and the little ones excused themselves to go and play. I was alone with Artemisia and I turned to her."Sister, you have been rather quiet.""She lacks poise, Sequoia. I bet Niylah would have been a better Suprema.""Relax sister. She shows promise. She needs a little more time...""Well we don't have that luxury! The girl turns 18 in a few moons and she will have to–"I watched as Artemisia became silent. I knew what she was going to say."–she won't do as good a job as you have done. She won't be able to go through with..."Suddenly a black mist filled the room. We both turned our heads and watched as Kali walked in majestically."Good evening Sisters.""Mistress Kali," we said together.She took her seat at the table and looked at the both of us calmly, her aura filled the air and her mist swirled around her."Artemisia, it has been 18 years and yet you have not still been able to come to terms with the fact that Sephora will no longer be with you. You must set that turmoil to rest."Artemisia bowed low."I know. But I have no faith in the girl. She is not ready. She won't be able to go through with it."Kali turned to me in surprise. I took a deep breath and faced her."I told her what she is and proceeded to spar with her but she refused to fight me in her wolf form. She said that it wasn't a fair fight. She held back."Kali lowered her head in disappointment and I felt my heart sink. I had failed. I had become too close to her."Sequoia has a good heart. I see it in her," said Kali calmly, "but she must do the ritual. She has to be the one to take your life. If she doesn't, there will be chaos. The rites of the Suprema have been done correctly for years, we can't fail now. I understand that she has grown to love you as all sisters should but you must prepare her Sephora. You have 5 months left. She must be ready.""I will do my best."Kali nodded and turned to Artemisia."Lighten up sister. Have faith in Sequoia."Artemisia growled silently and excused herself from the table. We watched her storm out and Kali turned to me."If Sequoia goes through with the ritual, Artemisia won't see the next dawn."I was stunned at Kali's words."What do you mean?"Kali took a deep breath."Two years ago, she came to me. Her heart was heavy and she was sorrowful. She made an oath and tied her life to yours. If Sequoia kills you and the next Luna defeats her, she will lay her soul to rest. She couldn't bare living without you. She asked me not to tell you but the Goddess has asked me to make it known to you."I felt my heart break. Artemisia, what have you done? She could have lived a healthy life till about 200 but she chose to throw it all away. A tear ran down my cheeks. I wanted her to stay with Sequoia and guide her but she had chosen her fate."She also knew that you would want her to guide Sequoia but she wished her spirit be given to Niylah. She believes that she will be the new Luna in her place. A noble sacrifice indeed."More tears fell from my eyes. Artemisia had gone through all this trouble just for me. This was more love than any sister could give."You should talk to her Sephora. It will make her feel better."I nodded slowly and wiped my eyes."I will mistress Kali."Kali nodded and took her leave and I was left alone at the table. The evening was rolling in and a crescent moon was seen in the sky. I had to find Artemisia.I picked up her scent and followed it around the pack house. The smell went up stairs to the top terrace of the pack house that overlooked the lands. I found her standing in the dim light of the moon, looking into the vastness."Sister...""Kali told you, didn't she?"She turned to me and there was a tear running down her cheek. I had rarely seen Artemisia cry. She was always so calm and collected."Sister, you shouldn't have...""I can't live on. You have always been there for me. I can't imagine a life without you in it."Another sad tear rolled down her face and tears formed in mine. I had always loved Artemisia as a sister, friend and loyal Luna.I walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. She sobbed into my shoulder and I patted her long hair."Your sacrifice is to big, even to repay in the next life.""Being with you is payment enough."I pulled away and gave her a sad teary smile. We both looked over the top terrace and saw two girls running into the forest. I peered closer and noticed it was..."Isn't that Sequoia and Niylah?" asked Artemisia, wiping her eyes.I smiled and watched them run into the forest."Let them have their fun. They remind me of us when we were getting up to our usual hijinks.""You always had a knack for getting into trouble," said Artemisia with a smile.I turned to her and held her hand, squeezing it gently."And you had a knack for getting me out of them."The moon shone bright in the sky and the stars twinkled. The day had ended beautifully and we could hear the rustle of the leaves as the young ones disappeared into the forest, beneath the crescent moon's light.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
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 K
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