Wolves and vampires are natural born enemies, right?
What about a wolf and vampire that are meant to be mated for life?
What's more important, the ancestral nature of two species or the bond between two people?
There's only a simple question left t...
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I sat on my knees against the grass with Sue Clearwater in front of me. The bristles of the paint brushes tickling my face, but I learned at the start of the process that too much squirming resulted in numerous motherly scolds.
"Why does it smell fruity?" She dipped the brush in for more red before sliding it down the bridge of my nose.
"Because it is fruit. We like to keep the tradition as classic as possible. Even if it means much more time spent squishing berries to make paint." I nodded as she instructed me to close my eyes. She was gentle while covering the entirty of my eyelids with white paint. "Okay, your face is set. Now just the attire." She led me back into the house into my room where a two piece set that was a shade lighter than my skin was laid out on the bead. Different shades of white, grey, silver, and black beads covered the hem of the top and the waistline of the bottom.
"It matched my coat." Sue nodded.
"We customaed it to be that way." She raised her hand to stroke the hair away from my face. "We all wanted today to be special and as personal as we could get it." I rested my head against her shoulder.
"Thank you." We took in the moment for a bit before I heard her sigh and urged me to get change. Once she left the room I did just that. Slipping into the halter shaped top and high waisted skirt that hit just above my ankles. They had told me beforehand that I was allowed to do my hair in my previous pack's traditional style. My fingers weaved the braid mindlessly from having done the same for each pack event since I was little. Walking out the door, I was again met with Sue. She held out a matching shawl with more beads and feathers adorning the edges.
"It's time." We both walked out of the house towards the the woods where they created a circle. Everyone was there. All my future pack members and the elders. Sue left my side to join them as I was left standing in front of Elder Quil and Billy. Billy signaled for me to kneel. I did as told and held my hands together in my lap.
"We are gathered here together by the ancestors to prepare the joining of Ophelia Leonie Iver into the Quileute Tribe and Pack. Our pack strives on tradition and in all the years our wolves have protected these lands have we only invited a handful of outsiders into our tribe." Billy took a small pause as I felt him gaze down at me. "Yet, that is not the case with you Angpetu Angeni." I smiled up at him at the use of my childhood nickname. "We have all felt the anguish and sorrow at the loss of the Klallam Tribe and we know you have hurt for so long young one. But today we wish to honor our late brother tribe and the welcoming of a strong, wholesome, and brave new wolf." All the boys made quick wolf whistles until Billy had them settle down. He motioned for me to lay down on the thick grass. Sue came into focus above me as she knelt down to place her hands on each side of my head. Elder Quil came to stand at my sides holding a herbal scent that was already set aflame. Sam came up to my right side and knelt down to hold my arm.
"This is gonna hurt." Before I could respond, Elder Quil began a chant that resulted in my upper arm beginning to burn. I felt Sam's grip tightening on my arm and Sue's hand held a firmer grip on my head. The further Quil got into the chant the worse the pain became and the longer I tried to hold in my cries the more my body thrashed on the ground. "Get her legs and other arm!" Paul, Jared, and Jake followed Sam's order and each of them came to grip a limb. Paul looked over at me and noticed my clenched mouth.
