Chapter Three

Sephora's POV

Four days came sooner than I thought. The entire pack was buzzing with activity. The sisiters no longer called me the Suprema and the little ones did the same. Today was finally the day. The new Suprema was going to be born. Her birth would mark my death and the end of my journey in this world. It was my duty to train her and after, I would pass away by her hand when she caeme of age. That was how the change of power worked in Mystic Shadow. No one could question it.

Artemisia stood close by my side all day. I could feel her worry. Though it woud take another eighteen years for me to get my successor ready, time seemed to move faster when one knew that her days were numbered.

Torch stands were erected as they would guide the path to the waters of the mystical stream. Fire was the elemnt of the Suprema alone. No one else had her element.

The day seemed to move too slowy for me. I sat on my little cliff looking at the sky and watching my sisters prepare for the child. Artemisisa was guiding them as I watched from a distance. The winds that blew around me, whispered my successors name and all I could think about were the words that Kali had said. My susccessor would be 'unconventional'.

The Mystic Shadow have lived in peace and security for centuries. I had been Suprema the longest and we have never hunted beyond the pack's border. No one knew what lay beyond it and no one wanted to know. It was a rule that had been in place for centuries and we kept to it strictly. We were happy and content and prosperous. What more would we actually want?

I stood up and shifted into my wolf and howled at the sky. Immediately, the sisters stopped what they were doing and howled with me. Our howls in a melody only the forest understood. We were in perfect harmony with nature as all creatures should. I fell silent and so did the sisters and continued to watch my pack. The bright orange and red flames of my fiery wolf danced around me illuminating every around me.

Suddenly, I was encircled by a black mist. My flames quivered a little and a black smokey wolf moved to sit beside me. It was Kali. No one knew what element her wolf was connected to. She was the only one, aside the Supreme that was born with a differnet element and just like the Suprema, the next shaman to be born was even rarer. For all I knew, she had been the shaman long before I had even been born but she looked just as young as the rest of us.

"The day seems too slow for you, Suprema. Do you wish to control the times. Staring at the sky will do you no good."

We spoke through the telepathic link. Her voice was smooth and gentle, enshrouded in mystery and wisdom.

"I am nervous Mistress Kali. I want the peace here to be preserved."

"A good reason to be nervous."

She fell silent and turned away from me. We continued to watch the peaceful land as the sisters prepared for the ceremony in the evening.

"Sometimes chaos is needed to usher in a period of lasting peace. You have done your part as Suprema and have done well. The job of preservation is in your successors hands now."

I exhaled and looked away from her black misty wolf. Smoke and fire sat side by side watching over the lands. She was right and there was nothing I could do. Worry would only make me more nervous for the task ahead.

"You should rest Sephora. The evening draws slowly. You need your strength for the ceremony."

She was right. We stood up together and walked down from the cliff. My fiery light casted a bright light on the trees and her mysterious black mist veiled darkness on whatever it touched.

We shifted into our human forms and walked into the main town. The sisters greeted us and Artemisia approached me.

"The torches are ready Sephora."

I nodded and looked at them. They were perfectly arranged in a beautiful line. Everything was in place. We only waited for the moon.

"Good job Artemisia. You should rest. Tell the sisters as well. We move at first moonlight."

She nodded and walked away. I turned to Kali and she smiled weakly.

"Artemisia will never get over your death. She is a strong warrior but nothing has prepared her for this loss."

I looked away sadly and watched Artemisia talk to the sisters in the distance. Kali was right. I just wish I had more time to spend with her.

I headed to the Suprema's palace and entered my room. I wanted to be alone; I needed to think. Every second that went by reminded me how close I was to meeting my successor. It was my job to train her for the next eighteen years before she would finally kill me and take over.

Death was a stranger to no one. I only feared for the safety of my pack. My worry made my head heavy and I needed to rest. I closer my eyes and surrendered myself to sleep and the world of dreams.

I found myself in my pack. My successor had her back turned and was talking to strange creatures. They looked like us but bulkier and taller with burly muscles and shorter hair. They for some strange reason, had their tails infront and in between their legs. Tails in front? I had never seen such strange creatures. I couldn't hear what they said but their voices were deep and commanding. Something about it was dominating yet soothing like the rush of waters from a cascading waterfall.

I watched them talk and suddenly my successor stretched out her hand and immediately, I felt myself woken up from sleep. I opened my eyes and stared into my dark room. The moonlight seeped in through the window and gave it an eerie glow. I suddenly heard heavy knocking on the door.

I got up startled from my bed and headed to the door. As I opened the door, the hallway flooded my room with orange light from the lit torches. It was Artemisia.

"Forgive my rudeness Sephora but it is first moonlight."

I nodded at her. It was time.