The Ceremony

Tonight was the night. Deep in the heart of Idaho's forest, the gathering of werewolves had begun. Members of the clan had already made the travel to partake in The Wild Hunt, but now they would have a added reason to come together... to welcome a new pack member into the fold.
The wolves had all taken their place surrounding the unnatural formation of stone, grass, and water, waiting in anticipation as two figures made their way up the stairs. Dante, the new blood, was wearing just his shorts and painted in ceremonial green markings, representing his intentions for tonight.
Elsie, his wifwolf lover, stood to his right, adorned in ceremonial charms and bracelets over her predominantly tan and patches of white fur.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Elsie, with clear concern in her voice.
"More than anything" Dante replied.
"Look, I know you said you wanted to be fully apart of this life, but I'm not sure..."
"Elsie, please" they both stopped and stared at one another. "I made a promise that when the time came, I'd fully accept the transformation. And I really do want this on my own accord."
"I know... but what if I can't..." Dante grabs a hold of Elsie's paws and stares into her eyes with conviction.
"Elsie, you know I love you and trust you deeply, even with my own life. We'll get through this together."
That confident, unwavering smile, was enough to push back Elsie's doubts for now and the couple continued upwards.
At the top of the stairs, was the Altar of Moon, and standing beside it was Elsie's father & mother, Isaac & Mary Melborne. When Dante initially met Isaac, he always took to his human form, to make him feel less alone surrounded by the pack.
But tonight, the couple were both in their true form, with the old father wolf practically beaming in excitement as his daughter and her mate walked up the stairs.

"Dante Brewer, I'm so happy to see you tonight" said Isaac, as he extended his paw to Dante with that same down to earth and upstanding persona he had taken a liking to.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Melborne."
"Oh please, just call me 'dad'. You know, Brewer," said Isaac as he rested a massive paw on Dante's shoulder. "I've always considered you family. What, with everything you've done for the pack, and how loving and devoted you've been to my youngest daughter, you're practically like the son I've never had. And tonight, it'll be written in blood."
That last line made Dante uncomfortable, as he merely stared at the tall, coal coated father who's signature smile put all rows of pearly whites on display.
"Oh Isaac, stop it, the poor dear's already nervous" said Mary, as she stepped in front of her husband. "Don't get cold feet sweetie, I've a good feeling you'll do great. Especially you, young lady."
The snow white mother walked over to her daughter and gave her a hug: "Remember what we've practiced, El, you've got this!"
The sound of chimes growing closer to the altar snapped you all to attention. Isaac and Mary stepped off to the side again, leaving Dante and Elsie before the Altar as the center of attention.
Behind the altar stood the brownish red, Elder Donovan Melborne, who was adorned in his own ceremonial garments. The Elder oversaw all matters pertaining to new bloods.
He smiled at the couple before him, before addressing all those present in a dialect unfamiliar to Dante. Elsie whispered snippets to him about the process and how it is a trial of heart and soul.
When Donovan finished, he motioned for Elsie to step towards the stone bowl filled with water. He raised her paw over the bowl and used a knife to draw a few droplets of blood to fall to the bowl. In an instant, the clear water became a bright red.
A small lock of Elsie's hair was thrown in soon after, changing the liquid to an old burgundy color.

Elsie stepped back to Dante, and now, the real hard part would begin. "Present your shoulder to me, and just... stay strong" said Elsie, unneasiness still present in her mind.
Dante leaned his head to the side and exposed his shoulder. He gives Elsie one last reassuring smile, before closing his eyes and awaiting her move.
Elsie stepped forward, rested her paws on his arms, lowered her muzzle to his shoulder and took a few moments to steady her nerves.
Elsie may have playfully nipped Dante before with her front teeth, but tonight, she would have to sink her canines into him. Deep enough to send infectuous saliva into his bloodstream yet still being able to resist the animal urge to draw too much blood, which would kill him in the process.
Finding her resolve, Elsie plunges her canines into Dante's shoulder, causing him to immediately yelp at the sudden pain. Dante felt as if someone were stabbing him with small pencils simultaneously, yet all he could do was stand and take it.
Blood began to flow and a low snarling sound began to emanate from Elsie as she had her teeth wrapped around him. Mary began to feel nervous herself. "Come on, El. Remember what I taught you."
In that moment, Elsie began to reflect on everything Dante was, how much he meant to her, and the future they were going to share together. That was enough for clarity to restore her senses, and she is successfully able to pull away.
Dante was now left reeling, the fresh wound that sent a burning sensation in his shoulder. The Elder called out to Dante, but he couldn't understand him. "Drink from the Altar!" exclaimed Isaac.
Dante staggers over to the altar and begins to drink the concoction. As he downed the warm liquid, he could feel the spreading corruption burn in every inch of his body. The green markings on his body began to glow, signifying that the ritual was now nearing its end.

The reverberating sound of his own heartbeat pounded in his eardrums. Dante crouched down a few inches before the reflecting pool, letting out painful groans at the warping sensation that was overtaking his body.
His limbs became larger and longer, the abdominal and waist part of his body began to expand, his spinal cord had extended to grant him his tail, and his skull began to shift forward and alter his teeth.
The odd sensation of fast growing fur came in thick and fast, not leaving a inch of smooth flesh exposed. At the apex of his transformation, the markings covering Dante had glowed blindingly bright.
Silence had befallen the valley, and as the green light faded, a large figure was now kneeling where Dante was. Dante, the former human, had now adopted the palette coded form of white on his front and limbs , with grey, black, and brown on his backside and top of his tail.
As his senses returned, Dante immediately noticed how much deeper breaths he had to take now. His eyes were now much more focused and discerning, with his ears and nose seemingly sharper beyond what he fathomed possible.
As he stared into the pool, he saw a wolf face staring back at him with surprised orange eyes. He looks at his furry arms equipped with powerful claws, before shakily rising on his digigrade legs and letting out an instinctual loud howl to the nightsky above.
The entire pack howls along in unison, giving the full welcoming acknowledgement of their newest member, and ensuring the heavens knew full well that the werewolves would have their night. Dante began to lose his balance, but he was promptly grabbed and held up by Isaac.
"I've got you, son."
Dante's newfound height became apparent as he was held up by Isaac. As a human, Dante was only up to most of the wolves' chests. Now, Dante had gained a few inches on the already 6,5' father.

Elsie approached her packmate Dante, who was now taller than her. She places a tan paw with white digits to his muscled fur-clad chest and says: "How do you feel?"
Dante looked at his lover and her father, then looked to the large gathering of werewolves all around. This change of perspective finally set in.
"...taller" is all Dante could say, his brain still playing catch up to the rest of his new self.
Isaac and Elsie helped Dante take slow steps away from the altar, where Mary was waiting ecstatically.
"They did it! I told you they could do it!" exclaimed Mary.
"That they did. I knew their wills and hearts were strong" replied Isaac.
Isaac and Elsie released Dante to give him a chance to stand on his own, which began to feel more natural with each step he took. As the family talked, Dante began to look all over himself, infatuated more than anything at the wagging tail on his backside.
The light of the moon caught Dante's attention and he began to stare at it as if in trance.
"Ah, I remember my first transformation. Good times, good times" Isaac reflected fondly.
"Just make sure not to stare at the fullmoon, sweetie" said Mary.
"Too late" replied Elsie.
Dante's orange eyes had become mesmorized with an glowing aura, and within moments, he immediately bolted off down the hillside as if he were being commanded somewhere.
"Dante!" exclaimed Elsie, who was about to take off after him.
"Now now, sweetheart," said Isaac as he rested a paw on his daughter. "let him have his fun. It's not every day a new blood experiences their first fullmoon."
Isaac turns to his eldest daughter, Velma, and says: "Just make sure he doesn't go too far, Vel."
With a nod, the black and white wolfu bolts after Dante.