The Village

Chapter Four- Yin

I had been with the tribe for a few days now. They welcomed me into their home with such warmth and I really felt happy there. Perhaps this could be my new life. Over the past few days, after I had faced the decision of staying with them, much had happened. As soon as I had said yes, they celebrated and led me to a hut that would be my new place to stay. It was cozy, and well hidden from where I had been standing. Then Veritee showed me that the entire village of huts was actually there, but well hidden among the ruins. The ruins were just a camouflage so that others would not notice it as they passed by. I told her it worked very well. She agreed. I had gotten settled in and prepared for the next day's ceremony. A cub had gone through the evolutionary phase, and was now an adult wolf. However, we fear he may be removed from the tribe by Zayla, the Alpha. Zayla was a beautiful wolf, and had grown antlers upon her head along with feathered wings when she had gone through the evolutionary phase. A small crescent moon resides on her forehead, which is the symbol of Alphism among all tribes. She was destined to be the leader, with such courage and a fiery soul. However, she uses these to keep peace, not to fight, and isn't afraid to put her paw down on those who threaten the harmony of the Maliexca Tribe.

And this wolf, the one who had just gone through the evolutionary phase, did not seem to be happy with the current arrangement. As a cub he had not gotten along well with anyone else. He had no known parents, and had been found in the woods stumbling along, with the color pattern of the Maliexca Tribe, so they had taken him in. His name was Episodic. Zayla had had faith in him, and was the one with the idea of letting him into their home. She said he reminded him of herself, and if she was wandering the forest with nowhere to go, any opportunity for a new life with a new family of wolves would be a good one. She consulted the tribe and had come to a unanimous agreement. 

However, now this wolf was dangerous. When wolves are cubs, they cannot do too much. They sit and enjoy life for what it is. However, now, Episodic was a wolf. A wolf with teeth. A wolf with claws. A wolf with newfound power. He had always been angry inside, not particularly at anybody, but quick-tempered and unhappy in general. Now, he could take that out upon others, and nobody would want that.

The evolutionary phase is a day process. Each tribe has a different ceremony to celebrate it, but it resides in every one of them. In the Maliexca Tribe, the custom phase is to enter the Cave of Growth, a deep cave hidden in the rocks and trees. Nobody knows exactly what happens inside the Cave of Growth, but when exiting the other side, the cub will look different, sometimes almost unrecognizable. The end task is to return to the Tribe and say a poem. I remember Episodic's very well. It was an old chant, and you would enter your name there. He had entered the ruins of the Village very subtly until he reached the heart of it. 

"Episodic has returned!" He screeched.

The entire Tribe ran out from their huts. I followed quietly and stood in the back. Zayla was up front and nodded solemnly when she saw me. The wolves formed a circle around Episodic and silence fell. I stood outside of the circle and watched. 

"From the depths of the Cave of Growth," He said with a smirk, "I have climbed. And so I return to the heart of this sacred village. And so I live once more. And so I have passed the evolutionary phase. I, Episodic, vow never to return to the sacred cave, as I am satisfied with my true form. Praise my new transformation! Aaliou!"

"Aaliou!" The crowd replied. 

Episodic turned to Zayla. His form included horns protruding from his head, a mask that nearly blocked his face completely. He had grown long fur, but still kept his color patterns. "Zayla, o great Tribe Alpha, first of your kind, last of yourself, twenty-seventh leader of the Maliexca Tribe, do you accept me for my form?"

The crowd of wolves seemed to hold their breath, but I didn't. Zayla was too nice not to accept him. I didn't see the logic, but it was tribe way, and I didn't question.