In the dimly lit cave Gray was led into, at a side of the Mirror valley, shadows danced across the smooth stone walls, casting an eerie atmosphere.
The flickering light from the torches revealed a group of imposing figures, the Werewolves, gathered in their human forms, dressed in primal robes adorned with ancient symbols.
Incense smoke hung in the air, mingling with a palpable sense of anticipation.
Amongst them, a central altar held ancient artifacts, and a crescent moon symbol is etched into the cave floor-directly below the wide opening that led to the sky above.
From this region, the ripest full moon of the month would shine down its light unto the altar, kick-starting the forceful Bloodline Awakening process.
The eyes of the Werewolves gathered, gleamed with a mixture of solemnity and excitement as they prepared for the solemn Bloodline Awakening ceremony, a ritual that would mark the next chapter in the supernatural heritage of the younglings that were yet to awaken their inner wolf.
But first, before that, they had to go through the initial starring process.
Gray's father, as Chief, was to lead this ceremony.
However, since his son was partaking of the ritual, he stood as a family member, beside his wife and Were-mate.
The Beta-male of the pack, elder Tam was going to lead the ceremony.
Elder Tam was a very dark, big and buff man.
He had dreadlocks rolling down his head to the rest of his body, and beads that were similar in nature.
With a menacing scar on his face, he was not the type many wanted to lay their eyes on.
With his ferocious nature that was known by all, they were many in the clan than thought he was supposed to be Alpha.
But the clan elders knew better.
After all, Tam had challenged chief Ironclaw time and time again, but even with being twice in size, he was still easily beaten.
Of course such battles were a secret from the rest of the clan or pack, however, Gray's father had a habit of boasting to his children about his strength as a kind of motivation for their growth and pride of their heritage.
Tam wore the ceremonial skin of a giant black wolf, a type of animal said to be the full form of any that made it to true transformation.
Of course, a full transformation was a Myth.
The sun was almost fully gone, and the full moon was already starting to show the seductive shine of her attractive glow.
The first part of the ceremony started, as elder Tam's passed unto chief Ironclaw, Gray's father, the ceremonial blade.
It was a six inches long claw, milkish yellow in color.
Even under the faint light of the torches, it reflected it menacing nature.
Without hesitation, he made a long vertical cut on his forearm.
Afterwards, he passed the blade to Denver, Gray's mother.
She did the same and then helped Gray with his, except the cut was made on both his hands and his forehead, and it was horizontal.
This ceremony was called the Forced Bloodline Awakening because of this process.
The aim was to use three essential components to force out the Bloodline from the child.
Two of those components were easy, but the last, not so much.
The first was the power of the strongest full moon of the month.
The second was the bloodline of the parents calling unto that of the child, and the last of course, was the forth calling of Death.
This was the reason why the cuts were made horizontal for the children.
It is said that the touch of death always performed wonders.
They were many that could testify of it.
At the point where death was absolute, the zeal for survival would always spark the potential in a person to life.
After all, even a rabbit pushed to the wall would fight for its Survival.
Denver passed the blade to the pair of parents standing by her right and after they were done, they passed it to the last set.
One of the quirks about being a Werewolf was the fact that Bloodline helped with supernatural healing.
The moment the Bloodline was activated, the healing process would begin.
And so it began.
The light of the full moon on the altar suddenly made it glow, and all the Werewolves in attendance could feel the strengthing of their bloodlines in their veins.
Their hearts pounded in anticipation.
Instantly, Denver took Gray's left hand, and his father took his right.
They placed their hands on his.
At the sides, the Weres started their low growls that echoed off the walls.
A display of their call at the Bloodline of their kin.
This was the same thing with Gray's parents.
The moonlit on the altar glowed fiercer and fiercer, permeating the entire cave and reflecting off the walls.
Once in contact with the moonlit, the blood of the Werewolves would boil fiercer and fiercer.
The process had barely started when the first child by his immediate right screamed as fangs slowly protruded from his mouth, and his fingers turning into claws.
The wounds on his arms instantly began to heal.
This fueled the excitement of the tribe and growls were slowly turning into howls as his parents celebrated the awakening of his Bloodline.
It took another two minutes for the next boy but he also awaken his bloodline.
This made the pack more excited.
However, even after a full blown five minutes, Gray's bloodline did not show signs of awakening.
By now, elder Tam already had a terrible frown on his face.
But Ironclaw did not give up, his gaze was fierce at the elder.
And so the ceremony did not end.
However, the light of the moon slightly shifting away from the altar made everyone go silent.
Every one in attendance knew what this meant.
What's more, they were very clear of the tradition.
After all a child with no bloodline was a liability to the pack, and all liabilities were to be dealt with..