Moonbound: The Blood Pact

in t

fast in the wrong ways. Their bodies shimmered with mist that clung to their skin like rot, eyes glowing green through

floor, claws met flesh and bo

his one bled dark and sluggish ichor instead of red. It stank of corrupti

e leaping from

e of a landslide. It shattered against bark like a puppet

e began to tire,

fury, he tore through a Hollowborn with a single swipe. Behind him came three m

our time,"

ce," Kade snarled, barin

they didn't speak nor howl. They just came

wolves met th

s fought, cries echoed through the trees and the fore

to the ground by another. It pinned her with clawed hands, its mouth

r restraint. Her form twisted half-wolf,

re's skull with both c

staggered to her feet, d

ched. But the Hollowborn hesitated now, and they felt the change. The oa

the momen

s, "Push them toward the ridge, They can't

d forward, rallying others to the comma

form and followed, lunging throug

wborn lay dead behind them. Already four warr

ying on her fur as she turned back to human, her form

s deep," Orin said, pre

"They infiltrated with no cries nor chal

lope, his face hard, "

N

testing me,

one attention

through their hearts. They came to see if I was ready to wear

She looked tired, older than usual. "The wards failed

possible," R

ned them from insid

fell heavy

a dozen pairs of eyes, all loyal. But someone had let monste

ere lit and songs were sung. Names etched in stone, as the scent o

ested blade in hand, She sliced her pal

names echo with the howls of our ancestors. W

hissed

heads, Lira locked eyes wi

ou've stepped into the fire no

the training circle. Not to f

ve the leaves as her body ached and her mind reeled. The Rite was

lead, but what di

losophy?" Kade's voi

still wondering how many more

ered "We're wolves, we bleed

You're terrib

I'm reminding you that being cho

ways, "Is that w

ot

oment, as the last of the s

ned the ward

ea

e to fi

arkened, "And

ed to a growl, "we

ng, the invest

dual magic from blood and bone. He walked the ward lines, muttering glyphs and tracin

e weakened from inside, someone redirected their te

access?"

rs and their records

Kade

d Corin who was raised here disappeared the da

ned with Corin he wasn't Hollo

didn't need to be one of t

ing parties and said "F

pas

rtheast of the Whispering Hollow. Inside they found scorch marks,

nor sign but somet

gil etched into

ght and said "This isn't jus

ruiting now?

ing," Maele

ved fang with a broken moon an

a war," she sai

st, Lira walked alone beyond the bo

a cemetery, She moved like a ghost, listening

mething

rest held its breath as a v

nblo

fr

but barely. Its eyes burned with sickly green light. Hollow

ire," it hissed, "Y

t," Lira growled "

We are older than oaths, older

gs bared "You'll

us, Lira of the circle the daughter of fi

y harder than prom

an to vanish in shadow. " when the Holl

mist scattered leaving noth

heart was pounding. War had come to