Prologue

"…more at seven"<click>.

"…..thirteen kids shot dead at a secondary school today"<click>

"…another mutilated body was found in New York today.."<Click>

Goddamn wyrm taint. It was everywhere, In the minds and hearts of the whole human race. Kinda made sense what they'd said to me when I was a pup. "Don't try to defeat the wyrm in one day, you'll just end up a dead foolish pup." Another statistic was not what I wanted to be labeled as for sure. Oh well, maybe the TV was not something I should be watching any ways, you know weaver taint and all. I had to get up and go for a walk or something. The getting up part isn't hard for me, it's deciding what to wear from day to day that gets me. I had a walk-in closet that thirteen Bonegnawers could fit in comfortably, full of clothing, different as night and day, different cultures, attitudes, and just plain different, and for the life of me I couldn't decide. Well, after much debating I decided on a corporate power suit and tie. A Dark blue over coat, blue pants, white shirt and a nice shiny pair a black leather dress shoes. To complete the image, a pair of tribal cufflinks, given to me by a close friend. I was ready to go, where I had no idea, but I was gonna look good while I was doing it. I took a quick look around for my money clip and located it in the den where I'd tossed it last. Satisfied I put it in my pants pocket and grabbed the shades sitting by it. "I might need those," I thought to myself and put them in my inside jacket pocket. I turned and walked out of the room and towards the door, ready to go meet the city life. Locking the door behind me I turned and sniffed the air. While it wasn't the most pleasant smell in the world, it was better today then most. I took about three steps towards the sidewalk and stopped. Okay I lied. I wasn't going for a walk. The car beckoned me to be driven and I obliged it. I'll take it downtown and then walk, yeah, that was better anyway. No need for anyone to be thinking that all I could afford was the suit. I smiled at the thought and decided that I had to make it looked like I meant to go this way. I walked down to the mailbox, opened it, closed it and then walked to the garage. The garage was locked from this side and I didn't have the remote with me, that was in the car. I did have a keypad out here though so I could get in from out there. Problem was I'd never used it and couldn't remember the key code. Placing my hand over the keypad I closed my eyes and let my fingers do the walking for me. Sure enough the door unlocked and opened to reveal the contents inside. Four vehicles, all with very high price tags. There was no doubt today what I was driving though. The Viper was just asking for a drive and I was looking to do it. I walked past the key rack and grabbed the keys for it, unlocked and got inside. She started fine and I was off, crusin towards downtown. It was at that point that something hit me and compelled me to start to drive towards work. Something was calling out to me, it had happened before, usually because something was terribly wrong, butt his was "different".

Instead of fighting it I went towards the call. Heck maybe something was actually happening there this time. Driving by work didn't set off any bells in my head. The luggage boys were working like usual, the clerks inside were busy inside from what I could see but I still pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car. I actually sat there for a minute and tried to focus in on the signal I was getting but nothing came of it. I shrugged it off and got out of the car, locking it behind me, and went inside. Maybe I'd have to find out the hard way for once.

I went through the manager's door, which lead downstairs to the main lobby of the most fantastic caern I've ever seen in all my years of being a garou. The boss had always impressed every garou and shapeshifter that had ever came through this place. I mean, here I was approx. forty feet below the surface and where it should be a dark dirty cavern you have a forest, streams, walkways of great beauty, flowers from different parts of the globe. There are areas that are separated off from one another for different tribes such the Chinese flower gardens, the dense forested area, a small Celtic village, and even a small mountain. It was all here and it was for everyone to see and be a part of.

It was amazing quiet I noticed. Not that this is totally unusual during the day, I mean there were people around as far as I could see but they just weren't as active. I decide that if I wanted answers to my little predicament I'd have to go down the long hallway to see the boss himself. It's not really a long hallway unless you are in trouble for something. Then it seems endless. I thought it was enchanted to do that, just to make you think of your actions a little longer and so you could call yourself an ass as often as possible. I stopped outside his office door. There were three rooms that he could be in but he'd made it a point that you'd always knew where he was if you knew what to look for. It just happened to be a little green light just above the door. If it was on then he was home. If not, well you'd be an ass to look in there for him. Even worse would be if you went in there when the light was off and he was in there. Gaia bless the poor bugger that would disturb him while he was….. ummm…. Occupied. I knocked and opened the door, a small grin across my face from the evil thoughts in my mind. The familiar smell of cherry wood hit me when I walked in and looked across the dimly lit room. Seventy percent of the room was a huge table able to sit forty or so people, in one of the corners was a small desk with a computer and a desk lamp illuminating that corner of the room. A door at the far end of the room lead into his living quarters. The main feature of the room though was the huge mural that was painted on the wall across from where I was standing. It was painted over the wood of the wall but there were no cracks to show any of the dividers. It was a picture of the Amazon Rainforest and it moved like a movie. I'd heard that you could travel there if you touched it in the right spot, but I'd never done it.

The boss man was sitting at his spot at the meeting table and there was someone else there that I did not notice. Oh shit, I hope I hadn't interrupted a meeting.

"Um, the light was on sir" Oh man I sounded pathetic.

"Yes, I know it was, we've been waiting for you to show up actually."

"You mean you were the one sending me the quizzes?"

He smiled and nodded "Yeah, come, sit. Meet Crissy Samstrong".

As I approached I started to recognize the lady that was seated there. The blonde hair down to her shoulders, the small face, her big grin and wiry frame. Oh yes, this was the Silent Strider also known as "Seeks the Legends, how nice to see you here".

"Oh! So I see you already know each other Crys on Top of High Mountains."

"Why yes I do. I've been following her exploits for sometime now. What brings you to Vancouver Ms. Samstrong?" Actually as I was saying that it clued in why she was here, but what I had to do with it I was unsure of.

"Well," she began" My last expedition to find a legend and interview him was extremely difficult, not to mention time consuming. So I decided to go to one that wasn't hard to find or talk to."

"Okay, That explains him," I motioned with my head towards the boss "But what does that have to do with me being here?'

"Well after doing so many legend stories I decided I'd tackle this one from a different point of view. You are part of the Dark Shadow Pack, the one that he led. In fact your whole pack history will be quite interesting to capture. I mean considering you’re the only pack alive with almost all of its original pack members in it and to have a legend amongst you." She smiled a deep kinda smile and looked back at the boss who was grinning from ear to ear foolishly. Just like a ragabash to that too.

"Is this going to be a private meeting. Not to offend my Alpha or anything but I'd hate to get blistered if I mess up or say something offending." I was hoping for her to answer for me but instead.

" It doesn't matter to me. Whatever you choose will be fine". It was then that the boss spoke up for me.

"Oh, I'll be leaving unless I'm forced to stay by request." He stood and bowed respectfully to me. I made short note of it and bowed back. He left out his door to his room and we were alone.

"Okay" I said patiently. "What do you want to know?"

"Oh, all of it!" she said gleefully. "How did it feel to be lead by a ragabash? How did you find out? The hard times, the fun times, but first, I need to know how you became part of the pack and how that all went.

"Oh so this won't be a short meeting huh?"

"oh no these things never are. Don't worry. You'll get to rest and stuff. Even I need to sleep and eat."

"Oh thank-you." And then I began the tale of where it all started.

Chapter 1

"Well where do I begin?" I tried to get comfortable as I knew this was going to be a long day, for both of us. She just looked at me with her notebook on her lap and a recorder on the table. "Right then, ummmm"

I was always told that I was "special" from the day that I could understand words and speak. My mother being native and my father being half native I thought it was just one of those things. Then my teacher called me "special" and so did my spiritual garou guide. "I had a purpose in life" he would say. It had something to do with a wicked looking birthmark on my shoulder. Three claw like marks in an overlapping triangular shape with another claw mark inside of it. I had no idea what they saw in it, but there it was and no matter who I asked about it they always said it was "special".

It didn't make my life easy for sure. As I look back now I can see that it was all conditioning to make me what I am today but back then it looked like punishment for doing nothing. I was never a big person as a kid. I was the scrawny brainiac, loved to read type, and the bigger kids used to beat the snot out of me on a regular basis. They'd wait for me after school and pick on me some more and make me do things that wasn't socially acceptable. I took it, went home told everyone that I was okay and then go upstairs and read. That was how I got away from it all. I immersed myself in the books, and forgot that there was a real life. That was all I needed I thought. Well I needed that and my teachings after dinner from grandpa. Winds-From-Distant-Storms others called him. I had no idea what it referred to. He was a gentle man, loved nature, surly not a storm, that was for sure. Of course I was interested in his stories more then the actual teaching part and I swear that I could have learn a heck of a lot more if I wasn't sure a pain in the ass with him. He'd explain things to me but I wouldn't listen well enough and miss the meaning totally. Finally after much debating and grumbling he'd tell it to me in story and it would click on the first try. After a months of the same results he decided that he'd have to teach me everything in story form if I was to learn at all. I learned about the balance then. I learned of the Mother, Father, and Sister. I learned of the Weaver and Wyld. I learned.

The teachings continued for years, and so did all of the problems with school. Then a new element came into the picture when I was old enough to go to town. People that looked at me like I didn't belong, or said things that were inappropriate to say. They did not know me but called me them anyway. I went home and asked mother why I was treated like an animal and she sighed and told me " There are those who do not understand and will not." Maybe it was the heat of the day or the fact that I'd taken eight out of twelve years of this crap and had finally had enough of it. Either way I blew up. I didn't have my first change but the beast showed its ugly side and it was very close to letting go. I stormed out of the house in tears and ran into the forest behind our property. I found myself a place to hide and sat crying for hours it seemed. I was startled out of it when some bushes around me moved and I quickly looked to see what it was. There in front of me was grandpa standing there. He wiped the tears away from my eyes and asked me what was going on. I told him, everything for the past eight years. I wanted to keep it from him but something made me spill my guts, but it was okay because for some reason it felt alright to do so. When I was finished he nodded and said " I'll take care of everything for you if you stop crying now and go home. Your mother will be worried sick". I turned to leave only to hear him say that I'd better hurry home cause he was still expecting me for my lesson. So I ran back to the house.

That night I had my first dreams of the wolves. Many wolves, running through the forest, yelping and having a good time. They came to the clearing of our house and stopped. An older one stepped into the center of the clearing and sat for a moment. He stared in my general direction and then suddenly let out a big long howl, the others joined the course. It was like a beautiful song that had been forgotten by man. It stopped as abruptly as it had started and then all their eyes looked my way. They looked hungry, the lead wolf barked and then they all started to run towards me. I tried to run, take control of my dream, but I couldn't. It was like I was frozen in place unable to do a thing about it. They rushed me and jumped all at once at my throat…

I awoke in a cold sweat and got out of bed. The moonlight was bright and was allowing me to see clearly around my room and outside. I glanced outside briefly and thought I saw something. I looked again and there he was. The lead wolf in my dream, standing in the middle of the field, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He looked at me then turned and ran into the forest. Howls erupted from the forest which scared the hell out of me and I went to the closet and opened it grabbing my rifle.. I made sure it was loaded , but not cocked or the safety off and put it in bed with me. I hoped that they weren't hungry for preteen tonight.

The next day I knew something was strange when the big kids weren't waiting for me on the street so that I could give them all my money or my lunch. Instead they were at the school waiting by the doors by themselves without their leader. I figured that was why they weren't waiting for me so I went up to them to get it over with. One of the kids saw me coming and all of a sudden went into a panic.

"Don't come near me. The Wendigo will get me." I turned to the other looking for an explanation who did about the same and ran off away from me. I was dumbfounded. What was I to do with this money for lunch? I turned and went inside the school. Where was Chuck? Did the Wendigo get him? I'd heard stories about the savage Wendigo that ran over the land and reeked havoc on all those that would get in it's way. I thought it was a myth but grandpa had told me that the Wendigo did exist but were not the savage ones in the legends. They were a tribe of some sort. He hadn't mentioned much about them except that they kept the lands around this area. They were friendly and wise in the way of the land until provoked. When provoked the Wendigo could tear into the enemy with the strength of the land. Was this the Wendigo that they were talking about? I would have to ask grandpa later. The whole day was weird too. People would either cower from me of actually come up and say hi to me and try to be friends and all. I was strange but I liked it in a way and went with it. Maybe the spirits were with me I thought. I did not see Chuck all day long. Maybe he was sick. I left school and started home without any sign of being picked on. "What did grandpa do? I wondered. Of course I figured I spoke too soon when all of a sudden a baseball bat connected with my kneecaps. I looked up from the ground and there was Chuck standing above me, baseball bat in hand beating it across his hand.

"Where's your precious Wendigo now boy?" he said coarsely. His voice was different, deeper, and his eyes were more lizard like then human and he looked like he'd been in a fight with something as his clothes were torn and there were blood stains on his hands.

"Chuck? What's wrong with you?" I asked half scared to death.

"Nothing. In fact I feel a whole lot better now" He said well showing off he new pointy teeth. He then proceeded to bring the bat down at me. I rolled out of the way and it hit where my head was. He was actually trying to kill me.

"You dodged! You have the nerve to dodge me?!"

"You're trying to kill me!" I protested

"Yeah, now sit still as I bash you all up." The previous hit to the back of the knees didn't bust anything but I knew that there was going to be a nice bruise there. I moved again and got up running for my life through the grass field. The thing that used to be Chuck chased after me snarling as he went. Was this the wyrm that grandpa had spoken of? He had mentioned that the wyrm had created creatures of mass destruction that masqueraded as humans. Was Chuck one of them? I was too scared to think straight. My survival instincts took over, that flee in terror instinct. The major downfall to this type of instinct was the fact that Chuck was faster then I was. He'd dropped the bat, that was good, but now he had scales on his arms and his tongue was forked like a snakes. He jumped and tackled me to the ground and with no time to react myself he started to wail on me. I started to feel blood running from my nose and my ears were ringing. I tried to fight back and hit him in the side of the head. It laughed at me and then clocked me again. I waas thinkin I was gonna be a gonner when it occurred to me that he was over me just so that if I raised my knee really fast and hard that he'd curl over. I really couldn't move fast but as he fell over I managed to climb to my feet. It on the other hand managed to get over the pain really fast and stood as well.

"I was just gonna turn you. But now I'm gonna kill you!" it screamed. It then swung and connected with my chest knocking the wind right out of me and lifting me up off the ground and into a nearby tree. I fell to the ground and waited for the final blow. I didn't feel like I had it in me to do anything about it. I mumbled a prayer to the mother to help me and braced myself for his kick. He launched it, but it never connected. I'd never seen myself move so fast, but I managed to catch his foot and then yank it so hard that the creature fell to the ground. I stood up and roared in pain. Something was happening to my body. Things seemed farther away from me and I had a sever hatred for the beast in front of me. I reached down and picked it up, tossing it into another tree. I couldn't believe what I was doing for a second. I thought I was day-dreaming and that at any second that foot would hit me. But here I was, beating the use to be Chuck to a pulp. I hit him again and again and again. It seemed like all those years of picking on me were coming out all at once with every swing I took. Then without even thinking about it I opened my hand and put it through his mid section. He screamed in agony as blood flowed all over my hand and to the ground. If that wasn't enough I lifted him off the ground held onto something inside and then threw him for all I was worth. All of his innards came out of his body and the lifeless shell of a human being flew lifelessly through the air and hit the ground with a tremendous thud. I dropped the entrails and went over to the body. I looked at it and then howled out loud to the world that I'd killed the beast. I actually knew what I was saying which was amazing to me. I then seemed to regain control I think because I finally got to take a look at myself. I had brown fur all over me, my hands were hairy and had long claws on the end of them. I was built like a brick strong house and about six feet tall. My clothes were behind me shredded from the transformation, which meant I was naked. I looked down to see if I was hanging, but there was a lot of hair down there, a big relief I was sure of it. I looked behind me to find that I had a tail and looking cross eyed at myself I saw a big snout on me with a glimpse of large, sharp bottom teeth. Was I a werewolf? I'd read about them in stories but never thought anything of them. I mean they were just stories, right? The woods were not far from here I thought. Maybe I'd take Chucks body there and get rid of it. Grandpa had spoken of defenders that could defeat the wyrm things. Was I one of those things. Was that what werewolves did? I went over to the body again and was about to pick it up when I heard a noise behind me. I turned ready for battle again only to see grandpa and mother standing there looking at me. I coward not wanting them to see me like this, but mother came up to me and spoke to me in a language similar to the language I was using in the howl.

"It's alright." She said soothingly. "You've just experienced your first change. You are a garou now. Your real training begins now."

Grandfather was smiling and mother seemed proud of me and I was totally confused about the whole thing.

"I just killed…" I began but grandfather cut in

"A wyrm thing. A formor actually. It seems you did it without a scratch on you as well. That is the sign of a good fighter."

"But he…." I touched my snout "He broke my nose and my ribs were sore too. But they seem fine now."

"You healed them it's part of being garou. You heal faster then normal people when out of your human form."

"You mean you are one too, and you too grandpa? They both nodded "What about dad?" Mother shook her head

"No, your father is what we garou call a kinfolk. He knows we exist and has garou blood in him but can not change. It would be wrong if I bred with another garou."

"So what do we do with what use to be Chuck?" I asked

"Nothing." Grandpa said, "Look for yourself." I turned to the body and it was gone. Only his clothes remained and they were shredded too much to tell whom they belonged to. I looked back at grandpa who was smiling and said. "Come you have much to learn" and he started to head for home.

"But, I'm still a… and my clothes!" Mother smiled and lifted a bag up towards me.

"Think calming thoughts and then get dressed and come home, supper will be ready when you get there, and your gonna be really hungry.

"Thanks mom." I growled softly and sat down in the grass so that no one could see me. It took five to ten minutes for me to figure out how to get back to homid form but it didn't hurt as much as the original shift up. I got dressed and ran after my folks who were in the distance almost home. I had no idea what was in store for me but I was willing to learn it all.

In Between 1

I relaxed a bit in my chair and shifted positions. Some water had entered the room along with some snacks and all the utensils to go with it. NightStalker usually didn't like people eating at this table but this must have been one of his exceptions. It was made sure of though that there were coasters for the glasses and proper plates for the snacks. I filled my glass and looked at Seeks the Legends. She was looking over her notes puzzled like.

"What seems to be boggling you?" I asked politely as possible.

"Your first change. Most changes I've heard of occur when the garou gets angry to the point that the beast takes over. You on the other hand were afraid, cowering, and ready to die and poof you're a garou. It's a little unbelievable. Not that I don't believe you though." She looked back at her notes and then at me.

"It took me a long time to figure out what happened that day. It wasn't till many years later when it happened again that I figured it out." I sighed and took a drink.

"So what was it? What happened?" she prodded.

"Something I'm not willing to share with you right yet." I remarked calmly "When I'm ready I'll mention it. Not till then."

"Fair enough" she answered and drank from her glass. She took her tape out and put another in "So what's next?" she smiled pleasantly and I nodded to her.

Chapter 2

I spent the next five years of my life learning to be garou of the Philodox moon. I didn't give up regular school, though I had to be tutored and receive a diploma at the age of sixteen with honors. My garou studies were also going well and I became a well-known truthcatcher and storyteller amongst the tribes in the area. Just after my seventeenth birthday the elders decided that they'd put off my Rite of Passage long enough, apologized, and told me to ready myself. I'd seen others leave on this Rite of Passage and only some ever returned. Those that did were starving or half-dead of exposure or worse. The test was to take the garou as far north as possible and leave him there to fend for himself and return on his own. I'll tell you that the ones that did return were much stronger then when they left. I had an advantage over most of them. I'd been able to learn some advanced survival techniques in my spare time from books that were made by people that had been in similar situations. Hopefully it wouldn't be so bad for me. I heard the elders arguing about me not needing to do this because I should be waiting for the one that will come to get me. Others argued that he was not coming and that if I were to become a recognized garou I'd have to do this now. My grandfather being the type that he is waited until they were all finished and looked at him for the answer. He smiled, looked at me and said. "Why not let the boy decide for himself? Come Henry, Tell us what you think should happen."

Shocked I tried to think fast and logically as I approached the fire. Finally it was clear how to handle this and make everyone happy for the most part.

"If the one to take me away does not show himself by the next moon then I shall embark on the Rite of Passage set forth by my elders." I hoped it was enough. They looked at easch other and then at grandfather and nodded in turn.

"So it is done. Thank-you grandson, you may go now." I turned, went around the nearest corner and let out a big sigh of relief. "Man where do I come up with this stuff?" I asked myself a loud. I took a look at the mark on my shoulder that I was told was a glyph more then a birthmark, though no one knew what it stood for. To me it was still a cool looking birthmark until someone filled me in on what it really was for sure. So for the next few nights I did like if I was actually going on the Rite of Passage, which was more likely, then some mystical person coming along and spiriting me away for something greater. I ate lots, drank lots, slept lots and exercised like a mad man.

The day came with no sign of anyone coming, so as I promised, I got myself ready and wondered out to the moonbridge to start my Rite. The elders went about making their Rite and mother watched, tears flowing from her eyes. I suppose it was suppose to be a touching moment though I didn't see it that way myself. It was like going on a large camping trip in extreme weather conditions and hoping that you'll make it back alive. When everything was set the moon bridge that waas to take me to the start of the journey was opened and I was told to step in. I was just about to do so when all of a sudden the gate backfired and went out.

The elders looked on in amazement and were talking to each other triing to figure out what this all meant. After a brief discussion they decided it would be best to try again but once more when the gate opened it back fired and went out, this time with a bang that sent me to the ground along with some of the elders. . We all got up off the ground and the elders started to talk again every once in awhile looking up at me. They were as stumped as the poor gatekeeper who was standing there in some stupefied zombie mode. They opened it up again and sent someone else through it. They went in and then came back out with nothing happening to them.

"Oh shit", I thought to myself "It's me doing this, but how"?

The elders looked at me and I was starting to feel out of place. I shrugged and smiled.

"Someone doesn't want me to leave it seems" I tried to laugh but it died quickly.

They started to talk again and I was hoping that something would break the tension somewhere along the line.

Sure enough, the gate opened again, though the colors were not our caern colors. They were white, red, and orange instead of our white, blue, and aqua. There was a sudden fury of activity as no one was expecting anyone and the ahourns started to move towards the gate. I waited to see what would come out not noticing that I myself was moving towards the gate, at least not till another garou stopped me dead in my tracks. I stood there motionless and the gate closed and a lone figure stood in its place. It was crinos for sure and was wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans, and a pair of shades. He lifted his head up and removed the shades staring directly at the elders with deep blue eyes that penitrated your soul. Everyone stood there ground and waited for the stranger to do or say something. He glanced around for a moment his movements slow and steady. He stopped and looked in my direction, staring at or through me. I wasn't too sure. He smiled briefly and then turned to the elders again and proceeded to bow towards them.

"I'm here to collect Henry for his Rite of Passage into the Dark Shadow Pack."

"Who are you to make such claims on our grounds?" one of the elders asked. I myself was shocked at the garou boastfulness. No one ever just waltzed into a caern and demanded stuff, especially to take another garou on a Rite of Passage.

"I am the same as him." He took off his jackets that had nothing under it but fur and there in the same spot as mine was the same mark I had on my shoulder. "I've been sent by the mother to collect my pack and start our mission."

"You are too late. Henry promised us that he'd do our Rite of Passage if you didn't show up before it started."

The stranger put his thumb and forefinger to his head for a second and then looked sternly at the elder that had just spoken.

"The Rite has not yet started if the pup has not entered the moonbridge. Because of his mark it makes that impossible, the bridge will keep failing. So I'm asking now that you let him come with me so I can get this over and done with and get started with our mission."

"How do we know this is not some trick to take him away somewhere else, possibly to the wyrm." Another elder spoke.

"You don't. All you have is my word as a messenger from the mother, who is saying that he must collect his pack and take them to great glory." He sighed and waited a moment. I was starting to like this guy. He was calm, cool, and collected around the elders and seemed intelligent enough to be able to hold his own around them. I felt like just telling all the elders that I was going with him like or not, but I did not want to be dishonored by my tribe. I'd wait and see what happened. The elders were discussing the issue, which seemed funny considering the fact that this guy wasn't recognized by the tribe and was making outrageous claims over the ownership of a garou. The stranger looked at me again and stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes. I almost laughed but caught myself before it could happen. One of the ahouns though didn't find it as funny as I did.

"Hey! Do not disrespect the elders or else." He said with a growl. The stranger snapped his head over to the ahourn giving it a sharp look and the elders stopped talking expecting a fight to start.

"I do not disrespect them. I'm merle expressing my feelings for such long negotiations about nothing. Do not make snap judgments about me or you might find yourself on the ground." The words got cold and icy like near the end of the sentence and the ahroun started to get a little nervous but stood his ground.

"Enough of this", grandfather spoke up. This stranger is correct about the Rite having not started yet. We did promise to Henry that if someone did not show up before it started that he'd do our Rite. This person has shown up and has shown that Henry should go with him. I myself believe the stranger but we will ask Henry himself what should come of this situation. "Do you wish to leave with this garou? There will come no harm to our honor for doing so. Just settle this for all of us will you please?"

Finally someone had asked me what I thought of this whole thing. I thought about it for a second as everyone's eyes locked onto me. I then spoke.

" I've waited many years for the one to come and lead me to great glory, honor, and wisdom. I'd thought just before I entered the gate that this was waisted hope but here he is now and for some reason I feel that I can trust him. So, I will leave you all and follow him in hopes that I will return to you with great stories to tell around the fire." I stopped and caught grandfather's smile.

"Ahhh good" the stranger said. "For a moment there I thought I might lose you. Good then Shall we go?" He motioned me to follow him.

"Wait a second!" I shouted at him. "Don't I get a goodbye or something?"

"Wasn't that it? Oh very well make it quick. We have a lot to accomplish." He turned towards the crowd and waited. I walked up and said my good-byes to my family and then turned to the stranger.

"Alright, now we can go." The stranger looked me up and down and then turned and walked into the forest. I followed confused that he didn't open a moonbridge and we drifted outside the caern boundaries, into the unknown. It was a silent trip for quite sometime before I decided to break the silence and ask.

"So, where are we going?"

"This way" he responded pointing ahead of him.

I looked out into the forest and then asked again

"No really, where are we going?

"Really, we are going this way." He answered again.

"What place are we going to?" I thought I was being smart

"Where ever this way takes us"

"You mean you don't have a clue?"

"You mean you don't trust me anymore?" He looked back at me with a amused grin on his face.

"I didn't say that. I'd just would like to know what we are doing way out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Oh, why didn't you ask that the first time?" he said gleefully.

"I did".

"Oh, you did? I must not have heard you. Well we are walking this way and this isn't nowhere."

"What?" now I was confused

"You asked me what we were doing all the way out here and you called it the middle of nowhere. So I responded by telling you that we are walking and that this isn't nowhere. In fact it is a forest. So we are walking in a forest." He smirked.

I had now had enough of this. I grabbed his shoulder and spun him around stopping both our advancing in the process. I hadn't noticed that I was in Crinos already.

"Who the hell do you think you are to be doing shit like this to me? I ask simple questions and get nothing for answers" I was surprised that he answered the way he did after that. He took his staff, don't ask me where it came from, and brushed my hand off his shoulder and spoke.

"I'm your alpha, thus your boss, leader, first, excreta. You ask a simple question, and get simple answers, not nothing. Nothing my young friend is a void somewhere in the deep umbra that you better hope that you never find yourself in. As far as your trust statements back there, they might have been impressed, but I am not. I could have been a Black Spiral masquerading as a normal garou and now I could be taking you off to my hive to assimilate you into one of us. You know nothing of me, just as your elders did but you are willing to follow me into the bowls of hell and back again. Not smart at all pup." He turned and started to walk away, I stood there for a second my mouth open but nothing coming out. I then ran up beside him again.

"But your mark, it's like mine."

You trust me over a silly mark on your arm?" he asked looking over me sternly,

'Well it wasn't the only thing, no. Something else told me to."

"Gut feeling?" he asked

"Well yeah, kinda." He smiled and looked at me again.

"Then you might just make it yet." He stopped and tapped the staff on the ground once, which opened a gate in front of us. "After you" he said motioning to the gate. I stepped in and walked for a few seconds, before I felt myself falling and hitting the hard ground again. I stood and looked around. I was in a small clearing surrounded by a lot of trees. It wasn't very different then the scenery that we'd just left. I looked around for the stranger and sure enough there he was standing behind me.

"Make yourself at home. I have to get the others yet and then I will return with them all."

"Why can't I come with you?

"You won't be welcome in some of the places that I must go. I have enough to worry about right now as it is. I don't need to be watching after you if someone of thing wishes to throat you. "

"Okay, so like where is the food and stuff?"

"You're a wolf, You'll figure it out. Think of it like you're on your Rite of Passage for the Wendigo, just in nicer weather". He grinned and vanished into the forest leaving me standing in the middle of the clearing alone, with night coming on fast and nothing to eat. I decided that I wasn't all that hungry and looked for some shelter. Not finding any after a short scout around the area I decided I'd make one. A lento wasn't hard to make. I'd made some for practice and that was before I had Crinos strength. Within a short amount of time I'd managed to make myself quite the little shelter and a nice fire pit with a good sized fire to keep my body warm. I turned onto my back and looked at the night sky. It was more beautiful out her in the wild then it was in the city. No bright lights the blind out the stars above. Whole galaxies and millions of stars scattered across the sky. There was a certain calm to it and I didn't feel so alone as I stared up at the sky. I nodded off slowly a shooting star being the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes for the last time.

I'm not exactly sure what woke me up the next morning but when I did two huge clawed feet at the base of my head greeted me. Startled I rolled back into the lento and stood up only to bash my head off the top of the shelter. I fell back to my knees and could hear a snorting laughter coming from the creature. I looked up and the stranger was there, laughing at me.

"That's not funny!"

"I beg to differ." He replied chuckling a little more.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" I asked as politely as I could at the time, still rubbing my head a little.

"Oh yes. You should come out and meet them." And with that he turned and walked away from me and towards a small group of people talking amongst each other.

"How long have you all been back?" I asked the stranger as I raced up behind him.

"Well I suppose it differs. Like you I couldn't bring them all with me to get the others. They've been coming in all night long."

"And I slept through it?"

"You must have been quite tired". The stranger stopped at the group and everyone looked up at him in anticipation.

"Everyone, This is Henry, He's a Philodox Wendigo. Henry this is Tori she's a Get of Fenris Ahroun." Looking on I could tell she was a least ahroun. She was absolutely huge and very muscular for a woman.

"This is Ulanda, She's a Black Fury, Thurge." I looked at a medium sized woman with good proportions and from how she was standing I suspected that I didn't want to say it to her. She might know a little martial arts of some sort.

"This is Karen Fortress. She's a Black Fury as well but ahroun." Again it seems like the ahrouns are easy to spot. They're huge amounts of muscle, but these two looked like they had intelligence to back up all that brute strength. She motioned an acknowledgement to me, which I returned as the stranger continued.

"This is Sarah, a Silver Fang Ahroun. A beautiful young woman stood before me and smiled gently as her name was spoken. I take back all those things I said about ahroun s though. She didn't look ahroun to me but I wouldn't second-guess her either.

"And finally, " I'm Bob, a Glasswalker, Ragabash, from Vancouver Canada." There was some muttering amongst the group right then and there. I mean it even sounded funny to me that a Ragabash or trickster, would be Alpha of a pack of such caliber into anything but a dirty trick. Finally Tori stepped up and told him what she thought of the idea.

"This group needs a strong leader that can stand up and take control of the situation. Who are you to take that position trickster? What mockery are you setting us up for?"

"You wish for us to go out and fight the wyrm for all the glory, honor and wisdom it is worth until we are dead and forgotten. What I am willing to offer you is a chance to become one with the mother and fight the wyrm on it's own grounds with the power of the whole. You will get all the rewards you want, more then you will ever get as Alpha of the pack. You will see and use gifts that are rare and special,. You will see the Umbra for all that it is worth. You will have Allies that other garou can only dream of having. The Spirits and garou will love us, the wyrm will fear us. We don't need to be just another garou pack with a mission. We need to be a family unit that no one can break or divide. That is why I am Alpha. I will make all of this happen or die trying."

"I'm sure you are good at doing all of that stuff, but can you plan what is needed, execute it flawlessly, fight when needs be, stand up to anything and never back down?"

" I could, can and will if I have to but I don't wish to. I want us all to do it together. If an elder challenges us I'd hope that we'd take it as a group instead as individuals. Family should stick together and take on challenges together. Can I plan? That's what ragabash do best. Can I execute it flawlessly? I'm still here ain't I. That should prove something. Can I fight? Well that I'm sure we will all see when it comes down to it now won't we? He looked at everyone trying to judge their mood. The pressure was on for him and I wasn't sure if he was gonna be able to handle it. She waited a few moments and then nodded and smiled.

"I will follow you for now, but I will be watching you carefully. If I think that you are not holding the ideals of the pack I will challenge you."

"I expect it. I will try not to get too bold headed for you." He smiled back at her and then back at the others. "In fact to make sure you keep me in line I suggest that Tori be the Beta. She has shown to me that she has the knowledge and ability to lead. Does anyone object?" Karen looked up at Bob and raised her hand slowly.

"I don't object to her being Beta but you do know that our tribe and their tribe does not get along. The fact that she is here and the a Get makes me wonder if we will be the center of a laughing stock from our own tribes."

"Well", Bob began, " Does it not strike you as an oxymoron that "she" is a Get. Her ideals are not exactly those of the rest of the Get of Fenris. In fact I believe that you are from the Valkerie camp am I not correct Tori"?

Tori nodded and Karen seemed to relax a bit. "Then we will get a long just fine. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone here." Well she seemed all right. I mean she was willing to admit that she something wrong and was apologizing for it.

"Okay then." Bob spoke up again. "Now that the formal greetings are done. Shall we discuss our totem?"

"Yes!" Ulanda said quickly, her eyes widening. "Who is our totem?"

"Actually, we don't have a totem yet. I was hoping we'd all just pick one."

"Ulanda's eyes lowered and dimmed out. "Bob, we don't pick our totem. The totem has to pick us."

"Oh, really?" Bob said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "Well maybe you can explain to me what is happening right now in the Umbra right now." He then offered his hand to her. "Come on everyone. Let's make a train and go on a trip!" Slowly we all joined hands and stepped into the spirit world that we call the Umbra. It seemed a little easy to me, but we were all just going in as a group and maybe that had something to do with it.

As we all focused on our new surroundings I took notice of Ulanda's expression as she was looking out in front of her. It was of total shock and amazement. I turned and I'm sure my expression was not any different. There in front of us standing at least five deep according to height and across by the hundreds was every known totem that the garou had ever known. They were sitting there waiting, waiting for us. Bob spoke with a huge grin on his face.

"So like all these spirits here are here to help us if we need it and they've managed to agree that each of us is to have our own personal totem as well as a our main totem that choose us". He looked at Ulanda first and then at the rest of us. "I hope that you approve of him". He then pointed his finger up into the sky where a big fiery bird was hovering. The totem known as the Phoenix was up there looking down at us all. I could tell that Ulanda was shocked as she looked at Bob and then at all the totems. Bob just raised his finger to his lips. "Please take your time and choose wisely and with that Ulanda unable to contain herself anymore ran up to Bob and hugged him, tears flowing from her cheeks. I couldn't hear what she said to Bob but he smiled and rubbed the back of her head for a second. She then turned away from everyone and wandered into the crowd of totems. The others followed suit and six hours later we all came back to Bob who was sitting near where we came in and was waiting for us.

"Are we all decided now"? Everyone nodded in turn. "Good then I will waste no time and without further adieu I shall give you our new pack name as it was given to us by Phoenix. When you talked to your totems you were also given your new garou names as well so you'll have to fill me in on those in a minute or so. Anyway, From this day forth we will be known as the Dark Shadow Pack, disagreements?

I had to say something, I'm not sure why, maybe cause my new name didn't seem to fit with the pack name. "It sounds suspicious and could be taken as linked to the wyrm or it's minions."

"Actually from what the Phoenix told me it was to reflect the fact that we will be the wyrm's dark shadow, thus saying that we are going to be his pain in the ass." Bob gave a little chuckle and it lightened me up a bit.

"Well then, I guess I can't really complain about that." I chuckled

"Well sure you can. I wouldn't have asked in the first place if we couldn't make changes to it. Do we want a change?"

"No, it's fine. I was just looking for a clarification on it's meaning."

"Alrighty then. What name were you given Henry"?

"Crys On Top Of High Mountains"

"A lot to say but cool enough. Karen?"

"Wall sir"

"Wall"?

"Wall"

"Okay then, Sarah?"

"Walks With the Elements" her voice was very Russian but clear as rain.

"Tori"?

"Lightening Fang". That woman was German for sure. I mean, the body like a wall like Karen's name suggested. I thought for a second that maybe they got the names mixed up but shook off the idea that totems could make mistakes like that. Could they?

"Ulanda"?

I will be known as my name sir. My garou name is the same as my real name."

"Didn't your totem give you a name?"

"Yes it did sir. It said it would be Ulanda."

"Strange but fitting. Okay then, now what?" Tori gave him a stern look "Did I miss something?"

Tori looked at him and tapped her foot in impatience. When he shook his head and was about to give up she burst. "Your name! I for one am not going to be on the battle field yelling the fierce name of my leader if it's Bob. I could see it now. Bob! Where are you Bob! I mean that there just nothing fierce about the name Bob. It sounds like a damn Doritos commercial!"

"Oh damn. I thought I told you all that!" When he noticed that none of us answered that he took it back. "Alright maybe I didn't. Don't worry Tori you'll never have to search for Doritos for Bob. It's not this Bob's favorite snack. You might though have to go into your battle looking for your Alpha known to the enemy as NightStalker. Is it to your liking?"

Tori looked at him with approval. "Oh hell yes, I'm impressed."

"Good, lets get out of here and get some rest so we can start our first mission."

"First mission?" I asked curious as hell already.

"Yes first mission. We're gonna make us some enemies and clean up my hometown. We're gonna kill some important leeches". Tori and Sarah looked concerned but the rest of us were just plain frozen in time. Sarah was the first to say something about it.

"Our first mission your going to take us into the city and kill some important leeches. I'm sure we might have the skills to pull off such a stunt but aren't you risking our lives just a little premature?"

NightStalker looked above him either in hope or prayer and then looked back at Sarah. "These so called leeches have plans to take over a nearby caern and have enough silver to take out the whole garou nation if they so desired. I want to take them out, get rid of their resources and save the caern from obliteration. I'm sure that we can do it faster and more efficient then the caern could."

Maybe I'm a sucker or maybe it was the mention of the caern being defiled that did it but I've decided that I'd be there. "I'm with you NightStalker." I said with confidence.

"Same here", Ulanda agreed.

"That's why we are here isn't it, to make the wyrm suffer? I'm in." The Wall had spoken.

"For NightStalker!" Tori said with a yell.

Everyone's eyes were on Sarah waiting for an answer. NightStalker whispered to her just loud enough that we could here it. "Do you trust me, Walks With the Elements?"

"You might be crazy and weird, but I do trust you NightStalker. I will follow you till death tear us apart." She reached out and grabbed his hand. The others reached in until everyone's hand was in the center. "To the Dark Shadow Pack" she said and with that we stepped into the real world as the new Dark Shadow Pack.

More to come.......