As Serena left the packhouse, Elder Lin, Elder Briar, and four others met her.
"We need you to wear this." Elder Lin said as she held out a black scarf. "The Clearing is a secret to everyone but the Alpha and the Elders. We intend to keep it that way. Please follow our customs."
Serena nodded and tied the scarf over her eyes.
"Hold onto my arm, Lassie. It would be my pleasure to guide you. Hold onto me." Elder Briar grabbed her hand and pressed it against his boney limb. She looped her arm around his and walked slowly as he shuffled along.
The packed dirt soon gave way to soft grassy soil. As they walked a song flowed along the gentle breeze and the tips of the fluffy seedheads. It was a quiet one. Whistled into the breeze without much care. Its notes loosened the hold the air had on Serena, and she loosened her grasp on Albert's arm in return.
Serena drifted her hand along the tufts of grass and the occasional flower, soaking in the whistled melody until they reached the end of the meadow. There, the meadow met hard ground again, and each step felt colder than the last. Down, down each step took her, into a darker place. The song echoed all around her.
"Stop that, Albert." A gruff, irritated voice demanded behind her.
"Fine, fine." The man stopped his song, leaving the rest of the walk to nature to fill with sound. Nature didn't take long, however. The sound of rushing water soon took the place of the melody, growing louder and louder with each moment they descended.
"You may remove the scarf." Elder Lin said sternly.
Serena removed the scarf and blinked, her eyes adjusting to the lighting. As they adjusted, she released Elder Briar's arm and took a few steps from him. He took his place alongside Elder Lin.
Serena's eyes fully adjusted. She gazed wide-eyed at the new surroundings. The Clearing was not exactly what Serena thought it would be. Instead of a cove hidden in the trees, she was in a cave. Not just any cave, but one filled with lush vines, leaves, flowers, and glowing mushrooms. An oasis, deep within the cavern filled with only the brightest and most obscure plants Serena had ever seen. A pool lay at the base of a small hill. Its water was bright blue and luminescent. It lit up the little island with its blue glow. The boughs of a pink flowering tree cascaded down over the water, skimming the surface on one side of the island. It created a curtain of flowers on the other.
Elder Lin turned and led the group closer to the pool of water and spoke some words to the shimmering pool. The words were almost guttural and inaudible. But as she spoke them, all Elders tensed and focused on the water's edge. A low rumble shook the ground. Serena glanced around at the Elders, but they stood there, unphased by the shaking. It grew more and more ferocious with each new round of rumbling. The clear water churned and bubbled, casting light refractions onto the ceiling.
The water broke.
Stones broke the surface and vibrated as they rose just above the surface. Little stepping stones continued to burst out of the water leading up to the island in the middle of the pond. The stones rest still. Their final movements sent ripples along the surface of the water.
Elder Briar was first to take the steps toward the island, twirling his cane and hopping along. Elder Lin shooed the other members before coming up beside Serena and pushing her toward the stones. Serena picked up her dress skirt and stepped along wet stones. A few translucent cavefish jumped from the water, sending sprays of water to Serena's feet. following them until she reached the shore. Elder Lin took the lead and brushed aside the flower curtain and entered the underside of the tree.
Wood and metal-crafted lanterns hung at varying lengths from the boughs of the tree. They glowed a soft yellow, contrasting with the blue from the water, to create an atmosphere of green. The elders sat on chiseled stones in a semicircle, each looking at Serena.
Serena gulped as she stepped toward the group. She stood opposite them, stroking the cuff of her dress with her finger. She stood before the Elders, her dress slightly crinkled from the walk, and her hair frizzing from the humidity of the cavern.
Elder Albert Briar cleared his throat loudly, snapping Serena's eyes and attention to him.
He sat there, cross-legged, one hand on his cane, and the other propping his head up. He had a smile on his face and a blush on his misshapen nose. His hat was crooked and his bowtie vertical, but he looked as stylish as any of them, but in his own way.
"It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Clearing. I appreciate-We appreciate you joining us here today. You must not speak of what happens here with anyone other than Alpha Atlas and the Elders. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Elder Briar." Serena bowed slightly as she and Venus had rehearsed.
Elder Briar waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't call me that. It's Albert Briar or Mister Briar to you, our future Luna."
"Not our Luna yet." A booming, deep voice came from the other side of the semi-circle. "For that is why we are here."
Serena turned to see a short, stout man with a chubby face sitting firmly upright on the stone stool. He had a full suit on and a matching bowler cap. He looked as though he had been dropped out of the 1800s into the small Riverwood Clan. Very much sophisticated and very much out of place.
"Oh please, James." Albert turned his gaze toward him and waved a hand. "We all know this is just a formality. Let's get on with it and go home. I have some reading to do."
"Always with the reading!" Elder James fumed. His chubby face was a deep shade of crimson and his mouth sputtered insults and agitation at the poor, whimsical old Mister Briar. "All you do is read. There are other, more respectable things that you could be doing! Such as making money for the pack. They are the future, and without them, we will have no hope."
Albert leaned back a bit and turned his nose up at Elder James who fumed and sputtered even more at the action. Elder Lin rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. When Elder James didn't stop. She cleared it again, louder. Elder James sputtered one last time before silencing himself.
"Gentlemen, we are here today to review the behavior and future of Serena Clell." Serena flipped her gaze to Elder Lin whose smile and gaze did not match. "Yes, I know your last name. I know more about you than you might think." She turned to the other Elders. "Now, let's begin the questioning."
"What do you think about the pack?" Elder Lin's shrill voice filled the warm alcove of the tree.
"What specifically would you like to know?" Serena replied smoothly.
"What is your opinion of the leadership, grounds, training, and the members?"
"I believe the leadership has new ideas that could benefit the pack in the long run-"
"What ideas? What ideas!" Elder Briar interjected before Elder Lin could. Elder Lin glared at the man before turning back to Serena. Serena shifted her feet and let out a steady breath before beginning.
"He wants to continue the no-rogues policy that his grandfather put in place. Along with this, he would like to set up a few meetings with the nearby packs to discuss what should be done about the growing rogue population."
Murmurs of astonishment and concern rippled through the Elders, but Elder Briar had a smile on his face and continued to look only at Serena.
"The training regimen that I was placed on when I began to live here was tougher than any workout and government training I have heard of. Werewolves fight on a different level and expect a different level of perfection. Granted, I have had little experience fighting up until that point so they took it easy on me to some extent. Each day ended with a spar against the Alpha which was beneficial to me. I have yet to fight a werewolf in wolf form, however. Venus and Atlas both felt I was not ready." Serena concluded with a half smile as rehearsed with Eli. She looked up and said a silent prayer to Eli for his patience in the rehearsing.
"And the pack members?" A small, feminine voice asked from beside Elder James.
"They are the most welcoming and protective group I have ever met. Venus, Eli, Atlas, and many other members have demonstrated their compassion and their sense of protection and security. Much more than my family ever had." Serena trailed off, turning her gaze to the grassy floor.
"Why do you want to join the pack?" Elder Lin asked as she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.
Serena paused, mouth partially open for a moment before she continued. The thoughts were there, but stuck in her mouth, unable to form coherent sentences.
"I-I want to join the Riverwood Clan because you have treated a stranger like family."
"You are no stranger though, Lassie. You are no stranger." Elder Briar smiled at Serena as he stood, relying on his cane to rise from his position. "It is a well-known fact that you are Atlas' mate. We must support him in choosing you if he so wishes. He has had a few different offers, but they were not the bond that he was looking for. Until he met you." Albert paused and hobbled toward Serena. He rested a hand on her arm and turned to the Elders. "We must do what we can to keep these two together. As Atlas is one of our own and has finally found his mate. This formality needs to come to an end. It needs to end. We all knew that she was going to be accepted into the pack, but from what this tree has told me, we need not worry about who she will become."
"Not the tree again!" Elder James roared. "You did this when we brought Atlas down here before his official Alpha ceremony. The tree hasn't spoken to anyone in years. The Moon Goddess doesn't use it as an avenue anymore. How many times do we have to tell you!"
The old man beside her slouched and dropped his gaze. His hand fell to his side and he gripped his cane tightly. Serena fumed. She clenched her fists tightly and turned toward Elder James.
"Apologize." She demanded, pointing toward Albert.
"W-W-Why should I apologize?" Elder James sputtered, spit spraying from his chubby face. He turned to Elder Lin. "Never have I been asked to apologize to the old geezer in my life." He turned to Serena. "I will not."
"Apologize." She repeated, a little less loud this time. She clenched her jaw and continued, "You have offended Elder Briar here. He has done nothing wrong except using the avenue which the Moon Goddess gave you. How is that an offense? Isn't that tradition? Isn't that encouraged?" Her voice grew louder with every word.
"The Moon Goddess has not used that avenue in a very long time, has she, Elder Lin?" James turned to Lin, a pleading look on his face.
Elder Lin pursed her lips together and tightened her crossed arms. She refused to answer.
"The Moon Goddess used the tree when Atlas' father Callan became Alpha, did she not?" Serena asked Elder James. He tore his gaze from Elder Lin and met Serena's with anger flowing from his face.
"How did you know?" He demanded of her.
"I read." She turned up her nose and peered down at him slightly.
His face turned scarlet. He looked much like a pig in costume, but Serena continued her stoic look. Elder Albert smiled and patted Serena's arm.
"Thank you, Lassie. Thank you." His voice was quiet and steady. He made his way back to his stone and plopped down.
Elder James sat there, a confused expression on his face.
"I see you read up on our history." The small, soft-spoken Elder beside James addressed Serena. "Or someone taught you."
"I have, Ma'am." Serena dipped her head.
"No need for formalities. We are passed that." The woman waved her hand. "Tell me how you knew about Callan."
"Venus and Eli spent much of their time discussing the history and customs of the pack with me. I find history interesting and wanted to know more about the pack I am accepting as my family." Serena finished. She straightened and clasped her hands together.
"Ah! Another who loves history!" The woman smiled, looking at Albert. "Any other questions for the young lady?" She scanned the group.
Albert raised his hand.
"I know we already asked this, but I wasn't satisfied with the answer. But why do you want to join the pack?" Albert propped his chin back on his hand and leaned forward.
"I lost my family as you already know. My extended family, I do not trust and you have only shown kindness to me. I am also the mate of your Alpha so it is my duty to fulfill the role. I care about many of your fellow werewolves, and I hope to care about them all as time goes on. This pack is my new family, I hope that you will accept me into that officially." Serena picked at her fingernails but stared at Elder Briar as she spoke. "I will be frank. This pack and its Alpha have resources that I need to find my father's remains and finally put him and my past to rest. That is another factor in this decision."
The old man leaned back and sighed. His eyes were wet and red. He looked at the other Elders who all nodded. He turned back to Serena and smiled, showing off his crooked teeth.
"Welcome to the family, Lassie." He beamed.