"Fine but only because I'm too tried to argue with you." Zarath, Tharon did as they were told each heading to their mothers as instructed by Zarath's father.
Once the boys were out of ear shot Kaar turned his attention back to the blighted wyvern a low deep growl escaping him causing his fellow Krellar to take notice. In Kaar's head he had failed as a father one of his sons was now infected with something he knew his people could not treat or cure. He would now have to either watch his son die or send him away to seek aid.
"Take the beast fangs, and talons as well as some of its scales then burn the corpse away from the camp. Once you are done with that go see the Tharakar (Shaman) to be purified do I make myself clear." Kaar held a firm tone has he spoke to his fellow Krellar the parts told them to take could be purified and given to the boys as proof they passed their rite but the rest of the body the meat and everything else had to be burned to keep the blight from spreading. "I must go tell Hrol Dhran (pack leader Stone.) about this." With a grim face Kaar walked through the camp his tail dragging along the dirt as he did. Tomorrow would not be a day he looked forward to. Zarath made his way to the back of the camp where his family Kraan-thur was as he entered through the tent flap, he was quickly grabbed and pulled against his mother's chest.
"Mir Yura! (My Child.) Raal ka norik? (What were you thinking?) Lura pulled Zarath closer quickly noticing the bruises along his back, before Zarath could say or do anything his mother had him sitting promptly on a fur-covered stool and stripping the leather vest from him handing it to Zarath's sister Luneth so it could be washed. His brother Zalith brought over a wooden mortar and pestle. Zarath then spent the next hour being scolded by his mother given supper to eat and sent to bed after being told that tomorrow he and Tharon would be called before the Hrol (pack leader). What seemed to be the end of the story was only just the beginning that night, while Zarath slept his mind was haunted by darkness. His dreams were that of a dark cold void with something strange whispering in his ear.
"Who are you?" he called out into the void. "Show yourself." the whispering in his ear continued. "Strong." The voice made his fur stand on end. "Unlike others…stronger than others." Zarath clawed and snapped at the void his fangs and claws only hitting cold air. "Strong means harder to break, but more fun to break strong ones yes much more fun." The darkness seemed to shift and pulled Zarath down his legs caught in some sort of thick tar.
"I am Zarath son of Kaar grandson of Dhran proud member of the Iron claw tribe you will not break me." Zarath struggled against the tar that pulled him down unaware of how many hours had passed or what was happening in the waking world. Zarath was jolted awake by his sister Luneth shaking him almost violently.
"Wake up you idiot, Dhrak ar Thrak dor ta sha kraal (mother and father are waiting.)" Luneth, despite her much smaller frame, was definitely his sister granddaughter of the tribe's leader and daughter of its chief warrior. She pushed Zarath back down onto his cot. "Just because you are Grak'Shrak (death stalker.) doesn't mean you get to be lazy now wake up."
Grak'shrak or death stalker it was a term used by the wolfkin to identify ones like Zarath. as white fur was a rarity amongst the wolfkin even those that roamed the northern territories or the mountains. Grak'shrak play a huge roll in wolfkin culture as they are considered the link between life and death more in touch with the ancestors that the Wolfkin pray to for guidance and on even rare occasions Grak'shrak are born with magical abilities like Valkar or the spirit weavers a small group of wolfkin born with magical abilities unlike elves or humans who have an abundance of magic users or mages or even the Felinar a race similar to the Wolfkin. Though Zarath did not seem to have any innate powers or an interest in studying with the Tharakar (Shaman) of the tribe to even see if he did have the ability to use magic though he was still forced to learn the burial rites and pray, he was content learning to use his bow and sword.
"Aright I'm up Thrin Zarithka (little hummingbird)" Zarath stood and stretched. As he stood, he sniffed himself. He still smelled like the herbal paste his mother applied to his bruises last night, but he didn't have time to worry about that today he was going to stand before his tribe as a true warrior a full fledge Krellar. Slipping into a simple fur loincloth he quickly ran out of his families Kraan-thur and headed for the largest of the yurt shaped tents his grandparents Kraan-thur his trusted bounded companion Hura right behind him. As he approached the flaps of the tent, he saw Tharon was waiting right outside waiting to be called in. Zarath could tell his friend had not slept well at all.
"Tharon are you alright you look worse than after we fought that wyvern yesterday." Zarath placed a hand on Tharon's shoulder trying to reassure his friend of their success.
"I'm fine Zarath just had some nightmares last night, so I didn't sleep to well." Thoran's ears flattened against his head as he looked down at his feet. Zarath could clearly tell his friend was distraught about what these dreams he had were.
"I understand, I had a nightmare as well last night but hey we did almost die trying to take that wyvern down." Zarath gave a toothy grin, his four fangs glinting in the early morning sunlight. Both he and Thoran were about to laugh when the tent flaps opened and an older wolfkin ushered the two to follow him into the Kraan-Thur. As the two of them stepped inside of the tent, every adult member of the tribe was there from the Hrol (pack leader) and the Grak Krellar (Chief warrior), Zarath's grandfather and father. Koto the tribes Tharakar (shaman). Even the tribe's Grak Garmakar (master craftsmen) Tharon's father were all in attendance today. Both boys stepped slowly through the provided gap and sat on their knees just in front of the fire burning in the central hearth of the tent. Zarath's grandfather and grandmother sat on a small, raised platform sitting in oriental wooden chairs covered in thick furs with cushions to provide comfort and warmth. Dhran, Zarath's grandfather had the same brownish fur his mother had though its color had faded with age and some small patches had turned gray, his face scared with claw marks from when he had to defend the tribe from another tribe his arms no longer held the strength the once did and he sat slightly hunched forward. Dhran cleared his throat coughing slightly making his wife look concerned for a minute before he spoke. His voice was cracked and soft from age.
"Today the Iron Claw tribe celebrates two great achievements. My grandson Zarath, and Thoran son of Dranth (Cliff) have not only completed their Jura'Rahl and earned the right to join the Krellar, but they defeated and enemy older than our tribe can remember." Zarath and Tharon looked at each other slightly confused was the wyvern they killed some ancient being or something.
"Not many of you under thirty moons old remember the last time a blighted on was seen in the Heartlands. And only those of you my age remember the last blight. We lost many brave Rith (Kin) during those days." Many of the elders bowed their head some letting out soft howls of remembrance for the long since dead. Dhran slowly rose from his chair shaking a little, Zarath's father moved to help his grandfather only to be shooed away.
"Today we mark Zarath, Tharon and even Hura as full members of the tribes Krellar." Dhran waved his hands towards the boys, two members of the back stepping out from the crowd carrying large wooden basins with bright blue ink and small tattoo needles. As the people with the ink began to trace the tribes symbol a clawed paw print onto each boy's chest as well as Hura's foreleg with the blue ink Dhran gestured to Dranth, Tharon's father who stepped forward with a large leather roll. He placed it down and unrolled it in front of the boys.
"Tharon as the one who struck the killing bow your father and the other Garmakar have reinforced your grandfathers spear and lined the edge with the wyvern's fangs. Zarath as the one who bought your brother in arms time to strike a new bow has been fashioned out of wyvern bone not from the one you killed though. And as for Hura as she kept the beast talons from striking either of you a new collar adorned with the beast talons has been crafted for her."
The boys thrilled by their marking and rewards couldn't even imagine what was going to happen next.
"As well new fur and leather armor has been fashioned for you in the human style to cover your bodies as well as two personal and small Kraan-thurs for your travel." The words rang out as the boys quickly noticed what Dhran said.
"Grandfather what do you mean travel. Do you mean to send us away after we just become full Krellar." Zarath asked confused, even as he handled the newly crafted bow.
Dhran let out a deep sigh as he knew the question was coming. "The wyvern you three killed was blighted, before you ask what that is the blight is a terrible and ancient curse that warps and twist all that touch it. You, Tharon and even Hura will eventually turn like that beast you fought. You will become twisted monsters who only care for one thing to sate an endless hungry at which point out tribes Krellar will be forced to put you down like rabid Brakkron. Or you will be consumed by the darkness and die an agonizing death."
Both boys sat frozen mortified looks on their faces, but it was again Zarath that broke the silence.
"Then just have Koto preforming a purifying rite on us he can easily dispel…" Dhran raised his hand and Zarath fell silent once more.
"If you two had received the rite immediately after becoming blighted Koto could have easily cleansed both of you even Hura could be spared. But the two of you were gone for too long allowed its blood to seep into your wounds and infect you." Dhran coughed and was forced to sit back down on his chair. He quickly shooed away anyone that tried to offer help and comforted his wife that he was fine. Koto the tribes Tharakar stepped forward.
"You two as well has Hura even though she is a Brakkron are now infected with an ancient curse sadly even I as the tribes Tharakar cannot help you the two of you will have to travel south to the great forest in the middle of the Heartlands and journey to the Vrak'Thura (scared waters) and bath in the healing waters of the great lakes shrine. This sadly will not cure you, but it will save you from death and keep the cursed magic from turning you for a while longer."
Dhran saw the worried look on both boy's faces. "After you bath in the healing waters of Vrak'Thura travel further south to the edge of the Heartlands, there you will find a large walled town the humans of Eldoria call Frontier there seek out a man named Emrick he is of an ancient order that is known for fighting this ancient evil, he will have the cure you seek."
It was decided before they could even protest Zarath and Tharon where to be sent away from their home, their tribe and people in order to save their lives. They had no say in this nor any choice if they wished to live. With shellshocked movements both boys went home with their parents to pack and make ready to leave. Zarath now dressed in his new human style leather and fur armor, the vest clinging to his chest as the leather had not yet been broken in the fur brushing against his own body fur. He made sure to grab his new wyvern bone bow and the bronze sword he had. Hura, now wearing the wyvern talon collar around her neck, had the newly fashioned Kraan-thur strapped to her back as well as a few bags of food his parents gave him. Zarath sister Luneth had tied two small fangs around his belt. They were his sister Luneth and his brother Zalith's baby fangs. A way to remember his family.
Tharon had prepared in a similar fashion his new amor hugged his bulky body as he walked his newly reinforced wyvern bone and fang spear the tip wrapped in a thick cloth, so he didn't stab anything while walking. His mother had loaded one of his bags with backed biscuits and dried jerky as well as a few dozen sweet rolls wrapped in a smaller bag inside the first bag. His father had crafted him a dense and durable leather and wood kite shield and as a gift to Zarath some leather leg braces for Hura.
The entire tribe turned out to wish the boys a safe journey and to celebrate them as true Krellar as the boys and Hura approached the gap in the cloth fence that surrounded the camp, the crowd went quiet, both boys looking at each other.
"Zartha and Tharon true Krellar of the Iron Claw tribe look out world here we come."
"Tharon and Zarath true Krellar of the Iron Claw tribe look out world here we come."
Both boys spoke at the same time making a small little handshake to seal the deal though they were saddened to have to leave home they knew they had no real choice. So, they were going to make the most out of this even if it meant dying along the way. They waved goodbye to their families and friends and began the journey south hoping that one day they would make it back home. As their journey began, they did not know that the two of them had just set events into motion that would change the very nature of the world they had known.