Children Of The Moon

-Tate-

I pulled the hood of my jacket up over my head, shrugging against the cold rain. There were storm clouds gathering over my head, but I didn't care. I had to get away from my house--my mother was drunk again and my father had just left with his friends, just like he always did when she got like this..
The rain picked up and I started running.
I ran until I reached a field, where something caught my eye. A dark, furry shape streaked across the ground..then another, and another. Soon I realized I was surrounded by them, and as they stepped forward they were no longer veiled by the tall grass. Coyotes. Six of them, with the largest of them being just a few inches shorter than the wolves I'd seen at the zoo, standing directly across from me. He stepped forward, his ears up in an alert prick. "What the hell..?" I thought to myself, but for some reason I couldn't move. I didn't want to.
I felt the psychic energy radiated from the leader coyote, and immediately knew what was going on. What I was feeling now was exactly how my friend Michael described his first meeting with Nova. "Tate.." The coyote spoke mentally, his mind's voice soft and silky smooth. "Yes..?" I thought back. "I understand your friend Michael is tied to my kin, Nova. Listen well, pup, because I have a story to tell you. Long ago, there were two brothers, sons of an ancient chieftain who was known for his...otherworldly powers. The names of both the chief and the tribes have long since been lost, but the brothers' names have survived. The older brother's name was Brave Wolf, which reflected his spirit's animal--a proud, solemn wolf. Brave Wolf was a great warrior, stoic and fearless. However, the younger brother, Laughs-At-Moon, was everything his brother was not. He was a prankster, taking his joking fun to the point of offense more often than not. His father and his elder brother became furious with the light hearted tactics when Laughs-At-Moon endangered the entire tribe with one of his schemes. Therefore, when it came time for the young one to receive his spirit animal, he was given one that reflected his personality. The young brave was given the coyote's token-as a reminder of his status. You see, the coyote is viewed as the younger, joking, less noble brother of the wolf. They meant for this to deter Laughs-At-Moon, to embarrass him. Instead, the young man embraced his status. He went on to become a mighty warrior in his own right, echoing even his brother's courage and loyalty. This being said, the Line of Coyotes is now in a similar situation as Nova's. We've come to need a new heir, and you, Tate Roland, are our chosen one."