Amarus gazed up at the waxing gibbous moon as her beast paced inside at the pull she felt. Its restlessness was making her anxiety grow by the second each day. Within a few days, the moon will be full and the tint of blue growing brighter by the day as the moon rises. Meaning that it would be enough to light the great moonstone, meaning it was time for the Blue Moon Summit.

Every decade that blue gleam would come to the moon, bringing light to the great moonstone as it draws in its power. When lit by the complete full moon, it calls to all unmated werewolves old enough to search for a mate. Dread grew as the day that she would be compelled to heed the call of the blue moon came closer. Now eighteen years old, she would have to.

Nudging her side takes her attention from the pull of the moon to the wolf sitting at her side. His intelligent yellow eyes were flickering with concern. Raising a hand, Amarus scratches him behind the ear taking comfort from the warmth of his fur.

"What am I to do, Gray-claw?"

"Take things in stride. Who knows? You might meet your mate."

A self-deprecating snort escapes her, "I doubt, even if I meet him, that any male will ever want me; the stray who speaks with Wilds."

"None of that." Pushing his head into her shoulder. "We are grateful that you can understand us. You don't see us as the mindless, instinct-based animals that Were's believe us to be."

Reaching around his neck, nuzzling his warm fur, Amarus nods. "Yes, I am grateful to have met all of you, but..."

"It's not the same."

"Yeah."

Gray-claw sighs, pulling himself from my grip, shaking his pelt as he stands. He jumps down from the boulder, landing gracefully, silently on the ground below. Turning to look back at her, he motions for her to follow.

Doing as bid, she stands, stretching her tense muscles before leaping off, landing just as gracefully as Grey-claw had following behind his easy gate. As she observed, Amarus had no clue where he was leading her but knew he had his reasons.

Being in the Wildwoods was always peaceful, with the rarity of meeting werewolves lessoning significantly. They traveled in silence with only the sounds of the forest. These kinds of sounds were always her favorite.

They soon came into a familiar clearing. Gray-claw was moving to sit in the middle, eyes focused on her own.

"This is where we first met eight years ago. Both of us were just pups. I was learning to hunt when your cries reached me, and me being the curious pup I was, I went to see what was making those cries." Shaking his head with a wolfy smile on his lips. "You sat in this very spot, covered in blood and wounds. I don't know what stopped me from just killing you, but I'm grateful I didn't. You've become invaluable to not only my pack but for me as well. So, no matter what happens at this summit. You will always have a place among us, Wilds."

Out of the trees, all likes of life walkout. They allow Amarus to see wolves and deer, elk, bears, cougars, etc. Each was bowing their heads in respect to her as tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you, all of you."