Today is a big day. Not only were they officially two, on the precipice of being adults, but it was the day of The Gathering. Astraea hadn’t been too surprised when the invitation came for the young of Taviora to join the rest of Moladion in the annual meeting of all of their age. The sky had practically been singing last night, full of stars unobscured by cloud or moon. All of their voices thrummed together, coalescing in a beautiful song that the young Star Maiden could almost understand, like a radio station just out of tune. As she grew however their words would become clearer she knew. Still, even without a true translation she knew what it meant, that something big was coming for them. A small gasp had left her dark lips as meteors began to streak overhead, the last overture of their song, confirming that this something would affect herself greatly, and her closest friend as well.

All this and more dances in the wispy girls mind as she follows alongside Zelda, their trek short but none the less poignant than those who had the farthest to travel. Occasionally she commented cheerfully on the height of the mountain as they approached its base, or the bunches of wildflowers which were beginning to spring up between the rocks, but overall their walk was a quiet one for surely much weighed on both their minds. Unlike her companion she was not surprised to see that they were among the first to arrive, their proximity to their sister pack made it easy and she was beginning to simply get a sense of how things would happen, nothing exact but like a painter seeing a picture before he created it.

She smiles broadly at the masked girl who is there to greet them, following her amber companion to settle her lanky form in the warm patch of sunlight. Spring is one of her favorite time of years, when the air is crisp and clean and the sun feel somehow warmer after being gone for so long.“Hello,” she echoed her dear friend, “greetings from Taviora.” It is all she has time to get out before a sound draws her ever changing attention. A grunt, or a growl, she isn’t sure which announces the arrival of a dark boy with brilliant white markings, not wholly unlike herself. He says nothing at all but seats himself with a low growl rumbling in his chest which causes her ears to twitch.

His arrival, it seems, is the beginning of the tide of new faces which all came to answer the call of The Gathering, of fate. The next few approached silently, warily and simply sat in silence which caused her to cock her slender head in interest. Were all wolves from other packs this way? The only one to speak was a tri-colored boy, though his words were a bit brash. “I think everyone’s just a little nervous is all,” she said in defense of those gathering, no need to make them more uncomfortable by pointing it out she thought as a sound behind her drew her gaze. “Asa!” she exclaimed when her violet and golden eyes landed on her smaller sister’s nervous form, always trying to make itself smaller. She turned gracefully, long legs like a dancer to lick the muzzle and cheek of her dearest sister. The girl was too flippant and starry eyed to realize she too often left her sister out of games, but despite her shyer disposition she loved her fiercely. “Come sit by me,” she said softly, for only her to hear as she turned and sat once more.

Dark ears lay back as another dark boy approaches, this one much more haughty than the last. She watches with a sort of sad understanding as he approaches them, hiding the cringe she felt inward as he winked at her closest friend. One thing she had understood last night, as a shadow had passed over one of her favorite stars. Darkness was coming to her friend, coming for her, and there was nothing the star maiden could do to prevent it. Fate was something she accepted without question, for who could change the design weaved for each of their lives. No it would be up to Zelda to choose how to deal with the crossroads the Star Maiden felt would soon be at her paws. Swallowing her thoughts her split eyes turn back to the group, watching to see when Fate would step into her own life. Soon, she thought, very soon.