Chapter 1: First Meeting
Erik Moonshadow was lying in the grass relaxing as the sun shone through the canopy of leaves that towered over the caern.
"Life just doesn´t get better than this" he thought. The grass was green where he lay. Out beside him the cliffs dropped down to a beach, the sounds of the ocean pulling him deeper into sleep. He was suddenly roused from his contemplation as a howl shattered the silence. He perked up, trying to judge where the howl came from. He knew what howl that was, wolves only howled like that before a fight.
Hearing another one seemingly answering the challenge, he leapt up and ran towards the sound of it. He was clad in ripped jeans with his tan chest bare, a scar consisting of three long claw marks running from his collarbone to the ribs on the opposite side. Long dark brown hair flowed in the wind as he ran.
"Are their enemies that have appeared?" He thought as ran towards the source.
After cresting a hill he came upon a meadow, in the middle of it stood three Garou. The one on the left was in Homid form. She was a beauty, long red hair and a shapely, athletic figure dressed in a matching camo pattern pants and t-shirt. The eyes were aflame with anger and locked on the wolf in Lupus form opposite to her.
The lupus was a savage thing, long thick black fur with a small sliver of stark white hair on the snout. It´s eyes was locked on the red-head, mouth twisted in a snarl.
"Alright, let´s all calm down now" the one in the middle said. She was a petite girl, her head crowned by long dark dreads broken by two small horns jutting out of her forehead, marking her as a Metis. An oaken staff covered in runes held tightly in her grasp.
All around them a ring had formed full of other Garou some in human form and others in wolf, howling and cheering the two fighters on. Erik sighed, just people having a brawl and the Sept looking at it. He didn´t really understand his own people at times, elders talking about fighting among werewolves will only strengthen the Wyrm, yet here most of the inhabitants of the Sept were, cheering the combatants on.
"That bitch is going down, get out of my way Katie!" shouted the redhead. Both of the fighters got ready to pounce, he had to act fast or the girl would be right in the middle of it.
Concentrating, he reached within himself and felt the Rage within. He drew it out letting it flood his muscles as he took off. Running faster than seemingly possible, he shouted "Look out!" to the Metis girl. Pushing her out-of-the-way, he whirled just as the lupus jumped at him.
Dodging her bite, his left hand flew out grabbing her by the jaw, with his right hand he took her by the stomach and using her momentum, threw her away from him.
The redhead charged and threw two punches at Erik's face. Both connected and a blossom of blood bloomed at his nose. After narrowly dodging the following hook, he leapt back facing both of the fighters. With the taste of blood in his mouth, he started to shift forms, growing taller and more hirsute.
"Stop, this is pointless" he growled. The red-head would not have it or wasn´t listening and charged him again, but this time he was ready. Blocking her punch, he countered with a kick to the stomach. The red-head flew back, the lupus seeing an opportunity, pounced Erik. Pinning him on his back, it reared its head to bite but hesitated as it felt something cold pressing against its belly.
"I wouldn´t do that if I were you" Erik said, a shit-eating grin on his lips and his knife pressed dangerously against the wolf´s flesh. "Ragabash scum" the lupus growled.
"Stop this immediately!" The Metis girl had gotten up, and shouted at both of them. Her voice carried a surprising power behind it, and the red-head had paused in her attempt at getting back into the fight.
"What´s going on here?" Greg Hand-of-Justice shouted as he strode into the ring with the rest of the Council of Elders in tow. The Sept leader was a big man, built like a bear and with scars telling of a violent life. The lupus growled as it released its prey and Erik got up on his feet, head bowed in respect. The elder surveyed the scene and shook his head.
He looked at the red-head and sighed. "Another fight and you are right in the middle of it, how come I always find you like this Beatrice".
She looked at Greg. "I had no reason to attack her" she said, pointing to the lupus. "But the bitch insulted my alpha!"
"I didn´t say anything that wasn´t true" the lupus muttered loudly. Beatrice looked at the lupus hatred radiating out of her. "Hey, hey calm the fuck down!" he said as she tried for the lupus. Erik had to use all of his strength to make sure Beatrice didn´t get past him. The crowd around them started cheering again, but were quickly silenced by a roar from one the elders.
"Stop it Beatrice! Now is neither the time nor place for this. Our forces are stretched out to thin, if you have forgotten we are at war here! I can´t have any more challenges in the Sept, especially among pack mates." Beatrice looked at Greg and then the lupus.
"SHE is to be my new pack mate!" she said incredulously pointing once again at the lupus.
"She and the man holding you. Both are very experienced and will do nicely, and we need some new blood around here".
His peech was interrupted by a protest from the lupus.
"I thought I was to be an Alpha for a new pack" she snarled in defiance. The Sept leader locked eyes with the lupus. "And lead them into death like the last two packs you led!" He growled. The lupus shrank down, visibly stung by his remark. Erik looked at Greg and then Beatrice and smiled sheepishly.
"I see no real problem with this, but I would like to meet your Alpha first" he said to Beatrice.
"Well, you have already met her" The Metis girl strode to them and smiled at Erik. A big werewolf in Crinos form in pure black pelt stood behind her, like a bodyguard protecting his charge. Erik looked at the two in front of him and the other two he had fought just moments earlier, which were glaring hatefully at each other.
"This is going to be very interesting" he thought as he introduced himself to his new packmates.