Silent.: Rising.: (Sivveh only!)

[Sivoncé™]

A red-gray female was the next to appear, young and slended, and tacked with a few deep battle scars that had yet to fade from her ghostly form. She approached Melina silently, then rested her crystal gaze on the wolf before her. "Melina, I am Liviana, a free roamer, but I once took shelter beneath Siverian roofs. I give you this life of freedom, liberté, so that you may never forget the call of the wild and the truth of your wolven blood and breed." She touched Melina in the ceremonial matter, then dipped her head in fare well. The fae loped away pridefully, head up, tail swaying, all the while the fierce pride and exuberance of her life and passion burned in a roaring flame where she'd marked Melina.

A female of mixed scent approached next. Wolves by the Mirror Lake would've cursed the smell as Blood Mist. But Blood Mist had not been scented in countless moons -- whole generations knew little of the scent. And now, though they roamed outside of pack knowledge, Hellfirian scent mingled with it. Redfang entered as proudly as Liv had left, with her head held high. Her smile was ginger, but it was there nontheless. No deceit marked the eyes of Redfang. "Greetings, Melina. My original name is Redfang, though I am typically known as Zanna-Rossa now. I carry the scent of the second Blood Mist dynasty, for I was a prized beta in those days. The mate of Bloodsbane. The bringer of Death. A hateful shrew. But look at me now, and tell me, am I still shameful?" Her eyes flashed with bright determination. "No. I am not. I rose above the influence of Blood Mist in the afterlife and carved a new state of being for myself. And here I am....paradise. Among wolves I once fought bitterly against for unjust causes. This is redemption and forgiveness, Melina, and I give this gift to you so that you may bless the wolves you meet with it as heaven blessed it in me." She brushed Melina, and then turned to make her leave. Her force was one of suffering, torment, and bitter taste, but towards its end, it would dwindle into calm and santuary, a soothing sensation for the burns it could leave.

Second to last was a female that, by some means, dispersed all frost that danced and swirled amongst the mists. As she walked steadily towards Melina, red and black blossoms bloomed her her path, and the lofty smell of fresh grass and herbs replaced the dazzling flakes. She was a silver she-wolf for the most part, though she was grazed with gray, and the oddest tint of red to her back uppercoat. Her eyes were green and gentle as leaves that trembled in a spring breeze. She greeted Melina warmly. "Hello, Melina. I am Rhain, a former herb healer to the Siverian Pack, though my time was before yours by moons beyond counting. I am here to give you a penultimate gift, a gift of growth. I give this to you so that you may witness and take honor and be amazed by the smallest pup as they grow strong, but the worthiest warrior as they choose the path of an herb healer, but the little shocks and surprises in the world around you, your pack, and by the wolf who serves in any way, shape, or form. Take pride in your pack. And use this gift to modify the ways we do things so that it may enable them to flourish in a greater amount." She pressed her nose lightly to Melina's muzzle, then passed out of the clearing. The snow slowly began to reclaim its home as pressure and explosion invaded Melina. Digging and tunneling through dirt and roots, exploding with fiery passion into the light....

[♫Flisk♫]

Melina arched her back in another stretch. No yawn came though. Adreneline pumped through the almost alphess. She swallowed and licked her lips, then self-consiously sat and tried to keep herself from jumping up and screaming: "YES!" Soon she made eye contact with the wolf. As she spoke the word free-roamer, Melina wondered what it was like, not living under any rules or any other wolf. As they touched noses, she felt a fierce burn of pride bubble up inside her. Her cream covered fur blew in the slight wind as she stifled a pride-ful howl.

The next scent Melina smelled was something strange. She didn't know what it was, but it smelled weird. It smelled...evil. When she looked to Redfang/Zanna-Rossa, she felt like a sense of forgivness was building up in her. This was certainly an experience if anything! As she touched noses with Redfang/Zanna-Rossa, she felt the shock of pain moving through her muscles at an electric pace. She suddenly was soothed with calmer feelings.

As the next wolf walked, Melina was impressed to see flowers bloom in her path. A wonderful smell of grass and herbs filled Melina with a sense of happiness. As she eyed the silver femme she listened to the gift quietly. Melina touched her nose and pressure began to build up. An explosion suddenly stopped it all. The femme felt dizzy and weary from that for a second. Who would be next??

[Sivoncé™]

The final and last wolf padded through the mist, though she did not come into clear viewing for qutie some time. The mist and wolf spirit danced at her pawsteps, and the shimmering forms of the observers began to melt away completely, leaving Melina alone with the finishing spectral figure. She was a female unlike any other, with a pelt of stardust and eyes of robin's egg blue. She was the essence and grace of crystal with each moment, muscles flexing under her lofty pelt with each movement. She came to a stop with a small space still between her and Melina, nodding evenly in greeting. "Hello, Melina, dear one. I am Sky," she breathed, voice curling into hot clouds in the restored winter air. "Before I give you your last gift, I give you a warning. When you leave this tree, Melina, you will not have a clear path to return to your pack. Revelations are to be had and they require the abscence of any skepticism. Tread carefully." Her eyes glimmering with ethereal light, and she bent forward to place her wet nose upon Melina's own. In her voice of sweet moonsong, she spoke, "With this final life, Melina, I give you the gift of love. Love for your packmates, love for your mate, your pups, your self, your legacy, and all that grows under your protection. I give you love so that you may truly see the depth of the world around you. Light is not always the bringer of good, nor is darkness always a catalyst for bad. Take care, Melina. Lead our pack well."
The thorns of titanic rose fields tore their hungering fangs into Melina, dragged, lacerated, fed upon her. And then the eternal world of twilight vanished.

[♫Flisk♫]

Melina snuffled anxiously. The viewers seemed to cloud away and float into the unknown. Treading her paws eagerly, she watched the figure dance in the mist. She was blurry, and Melina had to squint to figure out the shape of her silhouette. Finally after a time of focusing and unfocusing, Melina came upon something unrealistic. There sat a wolf with a coat of glimmering stardust. Her eyes were beautiful and peircing, yet soft and soothing at the same time. Melina nodded as Sky began to give her the last life. The almost alphess slowly touched noses with her and a pain like no other shot through her body. She felt rigid...it wouldn't go away! This experience was like no other, and the pain was almost unbearable. Finally, Melina gave up. She collapsed. Everything was black.

*********************************

Melina woke with a start. All the pain from her body was gone and she was peacefully lying underneath the roots of the Eternal Tree. She smiled. She was now alphess of the Siverians. She quickly padded over to Nightshade. Gulping, she spoke.

"Wow...that's it. I'm alphess of the Siverians."

She nodded and began grooming her pelt. It would soon be time for her to confront her packmates. Her pack. Her pack. Suddenly she heard a screech in the distance. A battle! The smell of blood erupted into her nostrils and she turned to Nightshade. There was a scent that she recognized.

"GO! Get the others! Now! Bring the Siverians! Warriors!"