Sacred Wolf says "Alright, I will teach you, we will see if you have the strength or not."

"Um, my friends are probably worried sick about me, is there a way I could send them a message?"

Sacred Wolf says "If you can create a message I can have a friend deliver it to them."

"Okay, thank you!"

Taking a pen and my notepad from school out of my inventory I quickly write a message to Justin explaining what is going on. I just hope he understands and isn't too mad at me. Once it is done I rip the page from my notebook and fold it several times.

"Okay, done!"

The wolf looks up and away from me for a minute, then a minute later I hear the sound of wings approaching. Soon a raven the size of an eagle lands in front of the wolf and even seems to bow to her.

Sacred Wolf says "Give your message to brother raven, he will take it to your friends."

As I approach the raven I remember something and quickly pull it out of my inventory. I offer it and the message to the raven who takes them in his beak.

"This is the message to my friends, the hairpin is for you. Thank you for your help!"

The raven leaps into the air and circles above my head once before disappearing into the darkness. Behind him a single feather floats down and lands at my feet, as I lean over and pick it up I feel a strange tingle in my fingertips.

"This isn't just a normal feather is it?"

Sacred Wolf says "You are perceptive! And you are correct, if you hold that feather and call out to brother raven he will come to you."

"Brother raven isn't a normal raven is he?"

Sacred Wolf says "No, like me brother raven is a sacred beast."

"None of the books I read in the library mentioned sacred beasts. Are there many of you?"

Sacred Wolf says "There are quite a few of us scattered around the world, but you won't find anything about us in human books."

"Why is that?"

Sacred Wolf says "Because most humans who encounter us do not survive to tell of it."

"Oh! Then why am I different?"

Sacred Wolf says "Because you harbor no malice in you. If you had hostile intentions you would have died the second you set foot in this clearing."

"Um, thank you for sparing me?"

Sacred Wolf says "As I said you harbor no malice, you are a kind and pure soul. I would never kill someone like you."

The puppy starts licking my face, it is only then that I realize I am crying. To have such a majestic being say such things about me, it has wiped out every mean thing I have ever been called. I just can't seem to stop crying, I cling to the puppy and cry into her fur for quite a while.

I don't remember falling asleep but the next thing I know is when I wake up. I wake to find myself completely surrounded by deliciously warm and soft fur. I can't remember any bed ever being this comfortable!

It is only as I wake up fully that I realize this is way too much fur to just be the puppy. Pushing myself up out of the fur cocoon I find that I am sandwiched between the puppy and her mother. A look around shows we are inside the cave, they brought me into their den to sleep with them.

Sacred Wolf says "Good morning, little Emmy."

"Good morning! Oh, I forgot to ask last night, may I know your name?"

Sacred Wolf says "Beasts, even sacred ones, do not have names. For now you may call me Mother Wolf."

"Thank you for taking care of me, Mother Wolf!"

Mother Wolf says "No need to thank me, if you make a contract with my daughter then you will basically be my adopted daughter."

"I am honored, Mother Wolf! I will do my very best!"

Mother Wolf says "I must give you one last warning, I can teach you how to form the contract. But the strength to form it must come from you, if you are not strong enough it will kill you. Do you still want to try?"

"Yes! I want to try!"

Mother Wolf says "Alright, before we begin the lessons tell me about yourself and your time in this world."

Doing as I am told I tell Mother Wolf everything that has happened since I was summoned. I tell her everything I know about my friends and the other heroes and the king. Telling her everything somehow lifts a weight I didn't know I had been carrying.

When I tell her about the people I killed I once again break down in tears. But this time when the tears stop I feel refreshed and somehow cleaner. All through the telling she listens patiently only occasionally asking a question.

Mother Wolf says "You have been through quite a lot, little one, and while you have chosen a good path it will be a hard one."

"What do you mean?"

Mother Wolf says "Going against this evil king will be a long and arduous path. There will be many hardships and battles along this road you are choosing to walk."

"Ah, yes that is probably true. I understand if you do not want your daughter to walk this path with me."

Mother Wolf says "No, that is not my intent. My daughter has chosen you already. Without adversity there can be no growth."

"Then what are you trying to say, Mother Wolf?"

Mother Wolf says "What I mean is, if you can form a contract with my daughter, then I will also do what I can to help you on your path."

"Oh! Thank you, Mother Wolf!"

Mother Wolf says "Now, let us begin your training!"