The sky's needy openness possessed a gravity that urged me on. Stepping closing to Cillium I reached out a hand to touch him - there wasn't much in this moment that I demanded or even expected, but it was impossible to think I would turn away with nothing. That was something I could not do, refused to do.    "I do not ask for much" the she-wolf within me spoke, dulling my senses. "But I do ask for this." And it was not a demand, true - but it was just as irrefusable.   Glowing with anticipation, Cil's eyes took in my stare, my hand, my body… he seemed to sway closer to me as heat filled my vision, collapsing me within a parcel of this moment...   And then… the vision broke.   I found myself standing there upon the snow, hand outstretched towards Cillium's face in what was probably the very picture of awkwardness. While he… he just stared at me, w

~*There wasn't much to say: There he was, there I was, there they were. My father…-* Luna, his scent was SO familiar - *...My father wasn't very nice. He was scary. But he TAUGHT me how to be scary, so I knew that he loved me.The others weren't like me and father; they were timid, weak. They were really nice to me, though, so sometimes I let them - but father didn't usually like that, so he would have to teach me how to be Strong that evening.He was really happy with how large I was growing, though. I was happy, too, that he was finally proud of me for something. He never said that, but I could tell. If he thought I was Weak we probably wouldn't fight so much.

The trees this morning seemed to house their own plenitude of secrets...   A brisk wind ruffled my black gown, sending shards of snow adrift in a sea of white. I sat upon a solitary stump on the northern edge of camp and gazed out at the woods: what other secrets did they hold? What other specters of the past might still be out there, unbeknownst to us - haunting and gathering, waiting to make an appearance? Ever since learning about Tiefing's existence it felt like everything else was up for grabs.   Most of the Pack were still asleep. It wasn't terribly early, but a sudden drop in temperature coupled with the lack of sunlight meant that fewer wolves were interested in getting an early start today. I hadn't planned on it either, but my mind was too preoccupied with upcoming decisions to get more than a few hours' rest. That likely wasn't changing any time soon; I resolved to force myself into bed at an earlier hour in the coming nights.

Surry tossed her hands. "Rayla, I'm barely half his age!! I was a child when his mate passed away, we both were! And he loved her so, Rayla. He still does. They were so deeply in love that I... I felt jealous, even then."   She blinked. "N-not jealous of her, I mean, obviously not that!! I just... I wanted that sort of thing for myself, you know?"   I gave her a hug, feeling warm. "And now you're worried about what stepping into the firelight with him might mean, is that it?"   She nodded. "I've decided what I feel for him. It took me a little while, but I figured it out: I... I want him. I want to be... his. I want him to be mine. But how can I ask such a thing of him?"   I chuckled. "Probably by getting your ass up to that fire and ASKING him, Surry, how else?"   She sighed angrily. "You know that's not it, Rayla. How can I ask him t

*The fog early this morning was thick, though it had grown weaker with each minute passing the dawn. It still hung in the air like a dewy coat. I rubbed some of the moisture between my fingertips as I breathed it in, and breathed it out.   As per my orders, everyone had risen early today. Many were still tired from last night... Oh, last night! Last night had been so scary, yet so exciting! Though I remember very little of it. I knew that my actions had spoken the loudest, and maybe they were all that mattered - but I do remember saying a few words. And among them, I had spoken about my father.   It felt so strange to say his name in front people whom I'd never brought him up with before. In fact, I had never really mentioned him to anybody. I guess I'd always gotten the feeling that I didn't belong, that I wasn't safe. But last night, after saying his name aloud in front of other Shifters (and watching their faces turn