Two more stars in the sky

Crescendo wanted that red paw on his pelt so badly, he would kill for it. And he had. First those coyotes, then that old male, and finally his daughter. He had been with the pack for more then a month now, fought with some of the most elite warriors, met almost all of it's members. What confused him was that the scents of the two highest ranking members of both the pack and brotherhood had vanished, their scented fading from the woods.

So he howled for the dark Alpha herself, @Meldresi. He had grown larger, stronger over the time he had been here, his pelt fuller and if possible, blacker. His reign of terror had grown longer, and he had given more scars then he had received. In short, life was good.

Bane was gone. It was a tragic day when she found his scent fading outside her and her pups' den. Her children were devastated in their own way, especially Potema. He had begun to build bonds with the three of them, but in a single instant it came tumbling down. Potema cried for her father when Meldresi told her that he had disappeared and was, most likely, not coming back. Meldresi held back her tears, but the loss of her Beta, her first Dark Brother and the father of her pups was nearly visible on her mask-like face.

But life was change, and with the end, comes a new beginning. Crescendo howled for her, clearly wishing to earn the red mark that branded the shoulders of most of her pack. Meldresi rose from her den and went into the tunnels. She weaved through the familiar labyrinth, finding her herb store still intact. The priestess gathered the dyeing herbs with her and traveled out of Mephala's Web to Crescendo, parting from the shadows when she grew close to him. She placed the herbs down, and fixed him in her gaze."I suppose you believe yourself worthy now."

"It is not I who deems myself worthy. Only you can say who is worthy and who is not. So I ask you now, alpha, have I proved myself to you in the proper fashion? Have I proved myself worthy of such an honor?" he asked of her softly. The warrior smoothly lowered himself to the ground, tail low and stance submitting. He found it easy to submit to the queen who had gained his respect. He remained bowed low for a few moments before looking up at the shadow queen, a hint of question in his silver eyes.

Crescendo would go far in the court of a king, she thought as he spoke and bowed to her. While her followers called her Queen, Meldresi hardly felt like one. To her, it was merely a title. But, she had been in the courts of kings before, and she knew how to get to one's good side: with subtle fawning such as this.

Meldresi met his eyes for a brief moment, her tail flicking in the gentle breeze that dared come through the trees. "I've seen your kills." she said, recalling the deaths that Crescendo made with his own fangs and claws. "You have good style in killing, Crescendo, and while there are some things we need to work on..." Some things being Crescendo's lust. She had seen how he looked at her, Kadence, and the other girls that passed by. His eyes became silver flames then, burning with lust. "But I think you qualify nonetheless."

Crescendo wore a mask of a small smile, inside, he was elated. "Thank you, Meldresi" he said quietly, humbled for a moment. His eyes lifted, and his voice became louder, stronger. "I will make you and the pack proud," he added solemnly. His eye flickered briefly with excitement and elation, shining in the gathering darkness. In that moment he promised himself that he would remain forever loyal to the pack, and not hesitate to lay his life down for his pack mates if he had too.

With Meldresi's confirmation and Crescendo's promise, the priestess set to making the dye. She dug a hole into the ground, and dropped the herbs into the ditch. The priestess searched around the ground, looking for a stone. She found a good-sized one, rather quickly, then returned to the shallow hole. The alpha worked with much ceremony, grinding the herbs into a thick paste. She paused, taking a piece of damp moss and squeezing the water into the paste and grinding again. It would take a while, but Crescendo could wait.

Crescendo watched with curios eyes as the Priestess set about grinding something in a shallow dip in the earth. He approached cautiously, stopping some feet away and craning his neck to get a better look. The thick paste looked to be the same shade of blood, the same shade as the marks on the shoulders of those he looked up to. He sat a short distance from the laboring queen, silver eyes sparked with eagerness before he hid his emotions behind a veil of respect, but it was not faked, just intensified. He would wait for as long as he needed to, lost in thought.

With one more squirt of water and a few more moments of grinding, the dye was ready. Meldresi stirred it experimentally, testing the consistency. Yes, it was perfect. Meldresi met Crescendo's gaze then, and with a nod of her head, she gestured him forward. "Come here, Crescendo." It was time for him to be formally inducted.

Crescendo soundlessly lifted himself from his sitting position and strode to Meldresi. His stance was solemn, so were his eyes. He realized the true importance of this event, realized that he would bear the mark for the rest of his life. He was proud and happy to finally be given the mark he had so desired and worked toward. He remained standing, head bowed, but silver eyes watching his alpha. He was unsure how events would play out, but not fearful.

She mixed the dye with her paw to keep it from freezing over in the cold ground. Crescendo had approached with the proper respect and reverence befitting such an occasion. She smiled briefly before speaking again. "Before you may join the Dark Brotherhood, you must adhere to the five tenets, the only rules that dictate the life of an assassin."

She paused before moving on and speaking the five tenets that she had memorized years ago. "One, never dishonor the Night Mother, Mephala. Two, never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. Three, never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. Four, never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. Five, never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do any of these is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis, the God of Death."

The answer came to him as if whispered in his ear by a foreign being. "I swear on the Mighty goddess Mephala to obey these rules, and will fully accept the consequences if I dishonor them in any way." he spoke in a solemn, low voice. And he meant every word, the truth evident in his voice. He had never before partaken in such a ceremony, and was worried that he would commit a wrong and fail. But he kept these thoughts shoved in the back of his skull, unwavering attention on the fae in front of him.

The dark priestess flashed a smile at him. She had found a truly loyal follower, unwavering in his faith to her, the Dark Brotherhood, Mephala and Sithis. The dark woman nodded then, raising her dye-soaked paw and pressing it firmly on his left shoulder, making sure that the tips of her claws made a mark. "So begins a contract, bound in blood..." She recited the ancient binding words.

After a few seconds, she lifted her paw from his fur, noting the perfect mark it had made. "Welcome to the Dark Brotherhood, Brother Crescendo."

Crescendo bowed to the dark priestess, expression humble and determined. "Thank you, Meldresi, for the faith which you gave placed in me. I swear to honor it until the day I die." The new mark felt cool against his skin, he twisted his head to look at the perfect mark it had made. Silver eyes looked up into hers, and he sat, waiting quietly to be dismissed from the presence of the dark queen. His pelt burned with pride, but he let none of it show in his expression.

He wondered if there was another part to the ancient ritual, but dare not ask for fear he may aggravate the beautiful alpha. So he remained silent, head still half bowed, millions of thoughts swirling through his mind.

Meldresi nodded at Crescendo's final bow. "You are dismissed, Brother." She said as she wiped the remaining dye from her paw onto the grass, making it slick and sticky, as of actual blood had landed on it. She decided to leave the little bowl of dye in the ground, wondering if it would freeze and then thaw for her to use later. The dark priestess took up her leftovers and melted back into the dark, thanking Mephala for bestowing onto her another Dark Brother.