Moonlit Mission

A luminous, crescent moon hung low in the night sky over the forest. Beams of light casting down between the branches, painting the forest floor in beautiful waves of light and color. A lone female walked along a deer beaten path, a small pouch full of herbs on hung on her shoulder as she paused at one in particular tree and inspected its surface.

Her name? Rina Drayga. A unique little female with a particularly keen sense for herbs, medicines, and secretly poisons. Her blonde hair hung in waves down and across her shoulders forming little ringlets at the tips. Her pale blue eyes were calm and calculating as she continued to inspect the surface of the tree. She shifted the leather puch on her side as she pulled a small dagger from within its depths. She looked at the ground calculating her footing as she stepped closer to the trunk. She wore a pair of tattered, black Doc Martins, a pair of ripped old jean shorts that hung low on her hips against a grey tank top. A couple of native american bracelets donned her right wrist and a simple onyx ring accented her left ring finger, engraved into the ring were the phases of the moon. Currently the crescent opel engraving faced upward.

Rina glanced at the ring on her finger and smiled remembering her adopted father, Cassius before he had passed. She blinked as a tear threatened to develop in her eyes and she quickly pushed her adopted father from her mind. Now was not the time for her sadness. She took a deep breathe as she braced herself against the tree. She felt excited, but something else was underlying her current excitement. Kind of like a little anxiety as well.

Rina forced herself to pause and lean away from the tree. Taking another step back she reached deep within herself and then reached out with her senses one at a time. Lifting her face she inhaled deeply letting the surrounding scents envelope her. She smelled earth, bark, and decay. Plants and there animal counterparts all seemed to hold there breathes together. Exhaling slowly, Rina tilted her head down and concentrated hard, listening to everything around her. Birds in the distance, the pitter patter of squirrels racing across the earthen floor a few feet to her left. A racoon's heart beating. A fox's hunting gate as it stalked some unknown prey. WIth another breathe Rina, opened her eyes and examined her surroundings. There was nothing to see save for the trees and the bushes surrounding her. No other animals would dare to show itself to her and with good reason. With another breathe Rina forced herself to relax as she turned back to the tree.

Tonight she would finally get to extract the essence of the oak she currently faced. An old specimen that had eluded her for a very long time. Had Rina been a normal human, upon discovering the old oak Rina may have merely walked by or even ignored its very existence. However, Rina was a werewolf, and her lifes work was discovering new ways to increase healing. New ways to cure sickness, and even, on occasion, to discover faster and more effective ways to kill her mortal enemies, the Vampires using mixtures of poison. She concentrated again on her footing as she moved closer to the tree and carefully, slowly began to dig her blade into a section of the old oak becoming completely enveloped in her work.

In the early hours of moonlight, Lucian sat awake, seated by the waterfall which protected his home from the outside world. The sound of the water was non-existent as the water had frozen over during the great storm they had. Every now and then, Lucian would break the ice concealing it to a stand still. With the slamming of his primal fist, the ice broke and gave new life to he waterfall. The snow did not fall on this night, though its previous work had carpeted the world in white. The great Alpha watched as the stars flickered in the night sky. He thought of many things, Eden being a primary thought. As he watched the black canvas, a shooting star blazed through the night. Many would say to close your eyes and make a wish. But Lucian believed wishing was for fools. In order to get the results you wish in one's life, you must alter your history with your own hands. There was no such thing as fate. Humans were well known for their made up beliefs and their dreams that wishing and having faith would make their lives better. Only fools would think such a thing was real. Lucian had wanted many things in his life, and he made it so. He wanted a pack, so he started one. It did not just happen within the middle of the night. He started it, forming it with his own thoughts and marking territories. Taking in a deep breath, Lucian closed his eyes and viewed the world around him in scents. The wind had started to blow and brush through the sky. It breezed through his coat, pulling the tiny hairs back and in disarray. Everything smelled normal, the scents of wildlife and nature. But a new and faint scent crossed over his nostrils. He breathed it in gently, trying to think of what it could be. It was a wolf, that much was certain, but it was a new wolf. Jumping from his perch, Lucian moved through the trees and nature of his world. His black form was hidden in the midnight rush of everything. His green eyes, the only thing really able to be seen, unless he uncovered his glistening fangs.

As he approached near the guest, he did not hear the call from her, or anything alerting him to the area. Following her scent trail, he began to grow angry. Why had this guest not called to him? Or to anyone? Did they think they were just going to march into his lands and do as they pleased? Thinking of this, fueled the temper of the Alpha. He started fuming, his nostrils flaring and eyes burning with hatred. He had not even seen her yet and he hated her. He loathed her for her lack of respect to he and his lands. The large male sauntered through the area, rushing at heightened speeds until he made it to her. Silently, he approached her from the rear, staring down at her as she used a knife on a tree. His breath was warm, his chest rose and fell quickly as he glared upon her. "What do you think you are doing?" he roared at her, standing at his full height now. In the back of his mind, he could hear Eden trying to calm him down, counting backwards and all that jazz. But it did not work. He was far too angry to settle down. The blonde haired girl had gone too far and he knew what he had to do. He would wait for her reaction, hoping she would shift to show him the respect he deserved.

Startled Rina dropped her knife. "Dammit!" she snarled whirling around. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it isn't nice to sneak up on someone when they are working!" she told him exasperated. She scooped up the knife and stood facing the male. She immediately felt his power and knew he was an alpha. She winced and changed tilting her head slightly in submission. "My apologies. I wasn't aware I was on anyone's territory." he told him quietly. Her eyes held regret even as she cast a look behind her at the tree. Guess having a loner on ones territory doesn't make for easy friends. She thought as she face him once more. She knew she should explain and answer his question. "I was extracting Oak Essence. It makes for a unique healing balm that you can only get during a crescent moon." she told him guiltily.

Her ears laid back a little as she stood to her full height reinforcing her confidence as she looked up at the male who towered over her. "I am a lone healer you see. I travel around helping out local packs in return for the healing ingredients I find in the areas. I really wasn't meaning to trespass. This is so far out I wasn't aware this was part of a territory." she added. Why was she explaining so much. She felt the threat that rolled off of him but was she really trying to justify herself? The answer? Of course she was. She had only ever had one pack that she was in, and her eagerness to be in one again was over whelming. She looked at the ground ready to accept any punishment that he chose. "If possible though I would be willing to pay back what I was to take. I am very skilled in my healing. If you are in need of any healing services I would be more than happy to help." she said quickly hoping maybe he would consider it. She glanced at the moon and then quickly at the oak nibbling her lip with her canine.