Persi bounced on the balls of her feet, barely able to contain her excitement. A hunter named Joan, with short black hair and pale white skin, who looked about fourteen, parted the curtain of the tent and came inside. Persi ran her hands over her braid, nervous as Joan looked her over, and was shocked that the braid was still intact. She looked at it in shock, and heard giggling. She looked up, and Joan said, "Our hair doesn't change unless we want it to. Now, are you ready?"
Persi nodded, and followed Joan out the tent. The snow on the ground was starting to soften up, as it got ready to melt, and morning birds were chirping in the trees. Persi could tell that it was almost time for Persephone to return to the surface, and Demeter's mood was starting to lighten up.
Persi subconsciously adjusted her white knee-length chiton, and the black cloak she wore for warmth. She couldn't feel the cold, so the cloak was more for looks, but she like playing with it. The fabric felt silky against her skin, and was made for ease of movement. On her feet, she had what the other hunters called 'hunting sandals', sturdy sandals that allowed them to walk easily on rough terrain. A leather quiver was strapped on her back, with a leather strap across her chest. It was filled with pure silver arrows, and a silver bow hung off the quiver's side. Hunting knives were strapped on either side of her waist.
Persi and Joan walked across the camp, and Persi looked around at the other hunters. Lyra, a hunter with long platinum blonde, skin pale as snow, and icy blue eyes, walked up to Persi with a smile on her face.
"Hey, Persi," Lyra said, walking with the two of them, "Egeria asked me to come with you guy on the hunt. Something about learning to control the water within the ice."
"Your a child of Lady Khione, right," Persi asked, curiously.
Lyra nodded, her skin reflecting off the remaining snow, and blending her in with the landscape.
Persi looked ahead, and saw Astrid standing next to one of the larger tents. Persi ran over to her, and said, wrapping her into a hug, "Hey, Astrid!"
Astrid chuckled, and said, "Someone is happy to see me."
"Yeah," Persi said, her face flushing a a darker blue, "It's weird. I'm not used to wanting to hug. Now, I feel like I constantly need to be touching you guys. Is that weird?"
"No, silly," Lyra said, grabbing Persi's hand, "Those are your wolf instincts kicking in. We all go through that. Yours are just a lot stronger cause you're a wolf pup."
Persi flushed even more, embarrassed that they kept calling her a pup. At the same time, though, she couldn't stop yourself from smiling at her pack. Persi shook her head, and asked, "Are we ready to go out hunter."
Joa said, "Follow me," and went inside the tent. Lyra and Astrid followed her immediately, but Persi lagged behind. Lyra opened the curtain, and held out her hand, smiling at Persi. Persi grabbed onto Lyra's hand, and they went inside.
Persi's eyes widened as she looked around the tent. Wolves, pure white with silver, blue eyes, laid around the edges of the tent. They all looked young, and Persi could tell they were all pups. They all turned around as Persi entered the tent as if sensing another pup, and ran up to her. The pups made a circle around Persi, and started herding her into the middle of the room. Persi looked over at Lyra, Astrid, and Joan with a shocked expression, but they just looked amused. When Persi was in the center of the tent, the pups backed away to form a circle around her.
"Persi," Lyra said, and Persi looked at her, "Sit down and close your eyes."
Persi followed her instructions, and sat down on the animal Hyde. She looked around at the pups, and closed her eyes.
"Try to feel your power under your skin," Astrid added, "It should feel like a tingling sensation or a pulling in you gut."
Persi took a deep breath, and tried focusing on her power. She blocked out any distractions, with wasn't very hard, and imagined all the veins in her body. She locked in on the way her blood flow under her skin. A warming sensation spread across her skin.
"Now," Joan said, "Try to extend your power outward into the room, but without moving it."
Persi imagined the energy moving out of her bloodstream, and seeping into the fiber of her skin. She pushed it out slowly, careful not to move her blood. The feeling moved to the surface of her skin, and into the air. Persi opened her eyes.
"Now, think in your mind, and ask," Lyra said, "Will one of you noble Lunar Wolves take me as your companion?"
Will one of you noble Lunar Wolves take me as your companion? Persi said in her mind, and the pup looked between each other. They started separating, clearly making way for one of them to come forward. A little one, probably one of the smallest in the bunch stepped forward, and entered the circle. A different pup pushed the little one forward, clearly trying to be encouraging, and the pup stumbled a little.
"You want to bond with me?" Persi asked the little pup.
Yes.
"What's your name?"
Don't have one. You pick it at the end of the bonding.
Persi nodded.
Let's start. Will…will you forever stand by my side, as I stand by yours?
"I will."
Will you share in my water, as I share in yours?
"I will."
Will you walk my path, as I walk yours?
"I will."
Will you choose me tomorrow, as I choose you today?
"I will."
If you accept the choosing, call out my name.
Persi didn't know how, but the name came to her immediately. It was the perfect name. One that truly fit the wolf pup.
"River," Persi said, softly. The energy in the tent swirled around wildly. The scent of sea salt permeated the air, and the energy condensed around the two. Instead of going back into Persi, the energy split in two. Half of it went into Persi, and the other half went into River. River's pure white fur faded into a bluish tint, sort of matching Persi's skin. A dark, navy blue, crescent formed on the crown of River's head. The pointed tips of the crescent pointed upward towards the sky.
Persi wrapped her arms around River, holding her close. She whispered, "Welcome to Pack, River."