Allegheny Forest
Carnifex Abbey, Pennsylvania
March 31, 2005
It was two hours before midnight when Sora made his way across the expansive grounds of the mansion and entered the woods at the edge of the property. He saw the flickering orange light of the bonfire just up ahead and immediately headed towards it, holding his hands in his pockets and shivering just a bit in the unusually cool nighttime air, his only light being the bright and nearly full moon and stars in the sky above him.
His siblings Cloud, Roxas, and Xion were there alongside his best friend Axel and some other familiar faces, namely a tall and imposing tanned man with piercing blue eyes and long black hair done up in a ponytail and a shorter but fairly athletic looking young woman with emerald green eyes and bright red hair standing close beside him.
"Cloud! Roxas! Xion! Good to see you! Looks like the pack's all here, doesn't it?"
"It pretty much is now that you're here. How you been, little brother?"
"I've been pretty good, all things considered. The whole thing with Riku's uncle dying and some honest-to-God vampires showing up right after is kind of suspicious but I get this weird feeling that neither Dracula nor his lackeys had anything to do with the death. Call it a hunch, but my intuition's pretty good when it comes to that sort of thing."
"You always were surprisingly good at reading people, even if you seem to be socially unaware and off in your own little world."
"Hey, what can I say? I'm a strange dude."
"We all are strange as can be. What with the fact we're a pack of werewolves. But hey, the Wolf must hunt and protect the herds from those evil spirits that would do them harm."
"Don't I know it. But hey, it's a sacred day and we've got business to attend to. Let's get to it."
The Strife siblings and Axel all sat around the bonfire in silent reverence while the tall long-haired man stood up to preach and to announce while the redheaded woman stood beside him.
"I am Kouga, the Alpha Male and leader of the pack, the Band of the Wildwood Walkers. Tonight is the first ritual of Spring and is an auspicious occasion, seven days after the vernal equinox. With me is Ayame, she is the Alpha Female and pack shaman, our honorable co-leader of the pack who shall guide us in this ritual to honor the spirits of the woodland and guide us in these trying and uncertain times."
Kouga stood back and let Ayame step forth to begin the ceremonies. She began to chant and light candles and incense before grabbing a bundle of reeds and a strange cloth bag.
"We call upon the elder spirit Wematanye, the Totem Spirit of our pack and one of the main spirits of these woods. We call upon him to thank him for allowing the pack to be fully reunited and to guide us in our solemn duties and we will honor his laws and promises. The Band of the Wildwood Walkers are with you and with all the benevolent Elder Spirits."
Ayame then went around the campfire, handing each pack member a reed and an amulet taken from the cloth bag she carried as Kouga spoke once more.
"These are sacred talismans blessed by Wematanye and each one has a unique blessing for the one worthy enough to wear it. All of can repel malevolent spirits and their servants if needed and they will be with you in whatever form you may take, be it man, beast, or wolf. We have been called forth to fight a deep seated and malignant evil that has fallen upon this land and its horrifying servants. I don't know what specific demonic entity it is that's behind this, but they have many followers. Some are lesser spirits, others are mortal cultists, and some are lurking monsters. Those who survive this sacred and holy war will be honored heroes of our kind and those who don't will be dead, but their spirits will live on.
All will be honored and blessed and have their names in the ancient Book of Feronia, the great text that holds records the histories and legends of the shifters and those who walk the spirit world."
As Kouga finished his speech, each one put on their amulet and all of the pack howled in unison before heading out into the woods in various directions as they began their great mission.