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Chapter 12

The day after the sleepover at Anabelle and Darkhowl's den, Elise spent the morning with Fang. The two enjoyed a few runs across the woods, as well as a couple of open air matings as feral wolves. Later, in the afternoon, the young werewolf girl had a sparring session with Anabelle under Rose's watchful eyes. Of course, the white-coated one was very mindful of Elise's status as a 'rookie' werewolf, and for the most part limited herself only to just blocking.

Marjorie, Fleetpaw and Fang were there too, watching the exercise from the sidelines. The big gray she-werewolf loudly cheered on the sparring girls while Fang remained nervously quiet. He definitely didn't like seeing his beloved vanni-mate clashing claws with another lycca-vanni. On a conscious level he knew it was just a simple sparring exercise, and that Elise was in no danger, but his primal protective instincts had him with his heart in his throat anyway.

And then, moments before Rose called it a day, the sparring session came to a sudden, unexpected end when Anabelle noticed something that made her break her posture and blink. Soon, everyone else noticed too. Everyone but Elise, that is. The young trainee was confused as to why everyone had suddenly gone silent while staring at her with their mouths agape.

"Um, what is it? What did I do?" she asked, puzzled.

"Elise, girl..." began Marjorie. "Y-your pendant..."

Elise looked down and... sure enough, her Moon Pendant was glowing.

~*~

Back at Howling Grove, in front of the ivory gate...

"So, this is it. It's my turn now," said Elise as she cast her gaze upon the mysterious gate that guarded the entrance to the fabled Grand Alpha's chamber. "I'm not sure why, but I feel... relaxed. Almost as though my bond with Fang wasn't at stake."

"That's because we prepared you well, Elise," affirmed Rose, banging her own chest proudly. "You've got this."

"Go, girl! Make us proud!" cheered Marjorie, while Anabelle showed her support with a thumbs-up and a silent smile full of fiery determination.

"Remember," started Fang: "the most important part of being a wolf is..."

"...to have fun!" finished Elise, giving her beloved lycca-mate a firm nod of her head. "Now, how about a kiss, for luck?"

And then, before an audience of six, Elise and Fang enveloped one another with their arms and locked their lips together, entwining their lupine tongues with vigorous passion. Rose and Marjorie celebrated the open display of tongue-bonding with loud shouting and whistling while Anabelle simply smiled as she leaned contentedly into Darkhowl, who promptly embraced her from behind. Soon, Daggerclaw and Fleetpaw also embraced their respective vanni-mates in a similar manner.

"Alright, Fang. It's time," said Elise to her werewolf mate once they were both satisfied. "I've been told this takes about an hour, so... see you then, I guess!"

"Indeed. See you soon, my beloved princess-vanni," said he, wagging his tail emphatically. "I will be here for the whole time, thinking of you."

Then, at last, she clutched her glowing Moon Pendant and turned to the gate. As she took a step towards it, the ominous slab of ivory opened inwards, revealing the pitch-black darkness that lay behind. Although the featureless curtain of shadows looked intimidating, the werewolf girl didn't let it undermine her determination and simply pressed onwards.

Finally, once she had crossed the threshold, the gate closed behind her with a loud rumble. Elise was now fully separate from Fang and the others. They were outside, in the world of light, while she was stranded in complete darkness, alone. The silence was absolute too, as not even the faintest sound from the outside world could reach her lupine ears.

'Is this really the Grand Alpha's chamber?' she wondered. 'I can't see anything. Why is it so dark? Not even the glow of my pendant can pierce through this thick darkness! Had Rose and the others also gone through this?'

Right then, a weird tingly sensation coursed through Elise's entire body. Before she could even vocalize her bewilderment, the werewolf girl found herself involuntarily dropping to all fours as her body became quadrupedal.

"W-what?" she exclaimed, flabbergasted. 'It's like some kind of magic field forced me into my feral wolf form! And I can't change back either! Am I... stuck in this form? Just what's going on here? And where's the supposed Grand Alpha?'

As these and many other similar questions piled up within Elise's lupine head, her Moon Pendant suddenly emitted a bright pulse of light that expanded outwards like a shockwave. It seemed to dissolve the darkness in its wake, and the young woman-turned-wolf had to close her eyes for a few moments to adjust to the new radiance flooding it all.

"S-so bright!" she said, squinting and shielding her eyes with a paw.

After a few moments more, Elise's dilated pupils had contracted adequately, allowing her to finally open her eyes and see what lay before her. "Oh!" she promptly exclaimed, realizing that the Grand Alpha's chamber wasn't a chamber at all!

"T-this is... This is a garden!"

Indeed, the brownish she-wolf stood on a wide path flanked by a most resplendent rainbow of flowers. There were no walls or even a ceiling that she could see, and the ivory gate itself was nowhere to be found either. All that seemed to exist around Elise were flowers of all kinds and colors. Geraniums, daisies, petunias, tulips, jasmines, hyacinths and more, and every one of them in full bloom; their beautiful flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

"J-just... where in the world am I?"

Suddenly, an ethereal voice was heard echoing across the entire garden:

"Welcome, Elise," it spoke. "Welcome to the core of Howling Grove."

"W-who said that? Where are you?" shouted the confused wolf-girl, turning her head every which way.

"Why, I'm everywhere! But please allow me a moment to return to my physical form for you."

"W-what? Physical form?"

Then, a gust of wind blew by. It seemed to rustle every plant and bush in the garden, blowing thousands of petals into the air. They began to spin in a wide circle, slowly coming together. More and more petals flew into the rapidly growing cluster of color. Elise watched in amazement as the floating sphere of petals spun faster and faster in the air, slowly but surely descending onto the ground a few yards ahead of her. Then, there was a blinding explosion of white light. The gust of wind appeared to vanish in time with it, allowing any leftover petals to gently float back to the ground as the excess light slowly faded.

"Here I am," spoke the ethereal voice, which now seemed to come from a specific point. "This is the manifestation of my physical form."

Elise opened her eyes, and her jaw dropped as soon as she saw what lay in front of her. "Oh, my God..." she whispered to herself in utter astonishment, her eyes as wide as saucers.

In front of her stood a wolf -- a _very_large one. Its size was such that it towered over her with a height about five times her own. Or, in other words, it was about as tall as a small house. But it didn't stop there, for this gigantic creature had a breathtaking coat of fur that glistened with a beautiful silvery color, refracting light as it rippled gently under the heavenly shine of its own aura. And its eyes... They were pure white, glowing with divine radiance.

"A... are you... t-the Grand Alpha?" Elise managed to ask despite her utter shock; her own ears flattened against her head.

"That is but one of many titles I have borne over the centuries," the enormous lupine creature said; its voice reverberating with a calm, motherly tone. "I have also been referred to as 'The Silver-Fanged One,' 'The Wolf Goddess,' 'The Loup-Garou Queen,' 'Tsuki no Ookami,' among many, many other such titles. But my favorite one has always been, and shall always be... Mother Moon."

The comparatively tiny wolf girl gasped.

"M-Mother Moon?" she exclaimed. "You-- you are the goddess all lycca revere! I thought you were just a myth, but... you're real! You do exist after all!"

"I certainly like to think so!" she smiled. "But it's true that I haven't walked the Earth in a long, long time. I am fully aware that my existence has become a myth long forgotten to everyone but my dear lycca children."

"E-even still... lycca believe that 'The Grand Alpha' and you are two different entities..."

"So they do," nodded the silvery wolf goddess. "I suppose the passage of time has distorted more than a few facts about me, but that's simply the nature of myths, right? They take on a life of their own. Regardless, I have to stay here, so it just can't be helped."

"You... can't leave this place?"

"I could, but... I am the heart of the barrier that protects Howling Grove," she explained. "Were I to leave this garden, the barrier would collapse, leaving all my children without a safe haven to call their home."

"Oh..." said Elise, her eyes downcast. "I understand. It was an act of motherly love, wasn't it? You sacrificed your own freedom to put up that protective barrier."

"Indeed. But I did it for their sakes. It was my legacy as their mother-in-spirit."

"That's... so selfless and noble, and yet so tragically sad," lamented the brownish little she-wolf. "Was there truly no other way?"

"Alas, all magic has a cost, Elise. However, my freedom was but a small price to pay to ensure the safety of my dear children. So, please, don't feel sad for me, as I have no regrets. This was both my choice and my gift for them; an eternal gift of absolute, perfect protection," proudly affirmed the goddess; her ethereal silver tail billowing majestically in the breeze. "Besides, the moon serves as my window to the outside world, so I can still see them through it, even though they cannot see me."

The young wolf girl flicked her ears.

"So it's true that you can see all."

"Within Howling Grove, yes, I can see all. Outside Howling Grove, however, is a different matter. The further away from the barrier, the less I can see. And the reach of my Lunar Sight ends at the border of the forest, where the village begins," spoke the one known as Mother Moon. "But, even though they aren't aware of it themselves, the hearts of my children are always linked to mine. This is true regardless of where in the world they might be at any given time. So, even if they were so far away that I couldn't see them, I can always rely on that fundamental, unbreakable connection to, at the very least, feel their emotions."

"The hearts of your children..." echoed Elise, pondering about the words of the wolf goddess. "That... doesn't include us soma-bonded vanni, does it?"

"You are correct in that I cannot see or feel bonded vanni directly, but through the soma bond they share with their chosen lycca. In other words, I can feel their hearts as perceived by the lycca they are bonded to, which doesn't necessarily correspond to reality. That's the main reason I require every new vanni to visit me within the first few days of forming their bond; so that I can judge them directly, without the feelings of their lycca coloring my perception of them."

"And... is it true that you can sever the bond of a vanni who either refuses to visit you or breaks the core rules?"

"Yes, I do possess that power. I don't like using it, but sometimes I must, for the sake of the pack," said the goddess, closing her bright white eyes forlornly for a few moments. "Like I said before, even though I cannot reach a vanni's heart directly, I can still reach it to some extent through the heart of the lycca she is bonded to. That's sufficient for me to sever her bond if needed, removing the gift of change from their bloodstream, erasing all relevant memories and transporting her outside the forest, as is written in the ancient manuscripts you've surely read."

Elise stood silently tense as a faint shadow of fear crept up her spine despite herself.

"Please don't be afraid, young one," continued the gigantic, silvery she-wolf. "Even though I do wield that fearsome power, I only ever use it as my very last resort... or if the vanni in question refuses to meet with me, in which case I simply have no choice. The risks of housing a vanni whom I cannot judge properly are far too many to just ignore."

"How... do you exactly 'judge' us, if I may ask?" said Elise, trying to push her fears away.

"That is precisely what the Oneness Test is for! Speaking of which, are you ready to take it?"

"I... I think so," said Elise, recoiling slightly. The shock of meeting what to her eyes was a goddess had her forget she was there primarily to take a test. "I, uh... I mean, I don't really know what it's about. Well, no one in Howling Grove does... B-but I like to think I'm prepared for anything!"

"Ah, yes. You've trained hard with your friends, haven't you? Well, I'm sure we'll soon see the fruits of your efforts. But first, we must proceed to the center of the garden. Walk with me, if you would, please."

With that said, Mother Moon turned around and began to walk away. Elise found herself a bit surprised by that, but she quickly snapped out of it and trotted after her, positioning herself by her side as the silvery one had requested. Ah, how tiny the wolf girl looked next to the gargantuan lycca goddess. And how beautifully the latter's silver fur shimmered as it rippled softly under the holy halo of her heavenly aura.

Thus, the mismatched pair walked down the path leading to the center of the garden at a very leisurely pace. It was abundantly clear that the enormous she-wolf was in no rush to reach the central area.

"Tell me a bit about yourself, if you please," she affably asked, as though to make conversation. "What was your life like before meeting Fang?"

"Oh. Well... I lived in the village, with my mom. My life wasn't exactly what anyone would call exciting, though. Whenever I wasn't helping Mom with her craft, I was either immersed in my storybooks or caring for my flowers. It was a simple, yet happy enough life, if not really all that interesting to talk about. But things got difficult when she passed away last year. My landlord... Well, he wasn't a good man. In fact, about ten days ago, I fled into the woods trying to escape from him..."

"And then you met Fang, right?"

"That's right... Although, technically, I had already met him three years ago, when he was but a little wolf cub. I would have never expected to meet him again when I escaped into the woods that night; much less to see that he was actually a werewolf! Now _that_was... quite the surprise, to say the least!"

"Were you scared?" asked the giant shimmering she-wolf.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't. But, well... he was so nice to me. He made me feel like... like I was a princess, and he was my loyal knight. I just-- I couldn't help falling for him," explained Elise, blushing slightly under her facial fur. "What can I say? Accepting his Offering of the Fangs was the best decision I've ever made."

There was a happy little rumble coming from the massive silvery canine.

"It seems like you've been enjoying your new life as a lycca-vanni so far," she said, offering the much smaller she-wolf a pleased, gentle smile. "Are you having a good time here in Howling Grove, Elise?"

"Oh, yes. I... can't really begin to explain how much my life had changed for the better since I soma-bonded with Fang. I'm almost like... like a new Elise," responded the little brownish she-wolf. "I'm the happiest I've ever been, truly. I just can't imagine myself renouncing any of this. So, that's why I... I'm determined to pass that Oneness Test!"

"Such hot-bloodedness!" admiringly chuckled the gigantic silvery wolf-goddess. "It's almost as though some of Rose's ardent spirit rubbed off on you, wouldn't you say?"

"I... I suppose? I mean, I've been around her a lot. She was teaching me how to use my lyccan claws and fangs. And, well... Even though she can be very crass, and she never seems to have qualms about speaking her mind, Rose still is a great instructor. I learned so much about how to be a lycca thanks to her. Plus, she's just a lot of fun to be around."

"It sounds like she is a great friend!"

"She is!" loudly affirmed Elise. "Before coming to St. Belaroix, Rose traveled a lot, fighting monsters all across Galia, and that enriched her with a kind of worldly wisdom that's just so rare... and so fascinating. She opened my mind to ideas that would have never occurred to me otherwise. So... Yes, I'm very glad to have met her."

"But she wasn't the only one helping you prepare for the test, right?" asked Mother Moon, as amicably as ever.

"That's right! There was Margie too. She helped me learn the rules and history of Howling Grove, and she did it out of the generosity of her heart. Making friends with her was very easy. She's just so chatty and outgoing, it's hard not to like her. Just her booming voice itself radiates so much joy all the time! Now that's a woman who isn't afraid to show the world how happy she is."

"Ah, yes. Marjorie is truly one of a kind, isn't she?"

"Absolutely," said Elise, nodding her wolf head as she continued ambling along the flowery path with the goddess. "It's hard to believe she had such a miserable life in her teenage years, when all the kids her age mocked her nonstop for not being good-looking enough, whatever that means. But meeting Fleetpaw changed all that. Truly, the Offering of the Fangs gave her the means and confidence to show her true self to the world."

"Indeed. The Offering of the Fangs frees vanni from the worldly shackles of a society that's often cruel to them only because they were born female. Through accepting the pain of a single bite, it grants them the liberation they've always yearned for. And so they're reborn as a better version of themselves, bound to nothing other than their love for the lycca they chose to always be by their side. But you know that very well, don't you?"

"I do," assented Elise, wagging her tail a bit. "Fang is the best thing that's ever happened to me. He's my big bad wolf, and I love him with all my heart."

"What exactly do you love about him?" casually asked the wolf goddess.

"Everything, really. I can't name just one thing. I love how nice and gentle he is, and how he adores me. I love the warmth of his fur and the fluff of his tail, and I love the way he looks at me with his adorable wolf eyes. I love talking to him and running in the woods by his side. Of course, I also love how strong and masculine he is, with that amazing body of his that's to die for. And, well... I love the way he touches me when we are alone. His hands are... simply magical. It's like he knows my body better than I do myself, and I love him for it."

"Well, in that case, I'm certainly glad that you found one another," warmly responded Mother Moon, flicking her celestial wolf ears. "It always fills me with joy when a lycca and a vanni complete each other like this. It's what gives my sacrifice its meaning."

The goddess certainly sounded quite pleased, and that gave Elise hope for her impending test. 'Even if I did poorly, she wouldn't sever my bond with Fang if it made her so happy, right?'_she thought to herself. _'Not that I have any intention to fail, of course! I trained hard under Rose's instructions and memorized every rule in Fleetpaw's manuscripts with Margie's help. Whatever challenge she throws at me, I'm sure to conquer it!'

The goddess seemed to smile proudly at her for a brief moment, but Elise was lost in her own thoughts and didn't see it.

"Alright, Elise," said the refulgent wolf goddess, jostling the young lycca-vanni from her thoughts. "I see that you've forged a beautiful soma bond with Fang, and made great friends in Rose and Marjorie. Please always be faithful to them, as they are to you, for no greater treasure exists in this world, or any other, than the selfless bonds born of love you cultivate with those who are important to you."

"I-- I will!" exclaimed the little wolf girl. "But Rose and Marjorie weren't the only friends I made. T-there's also Anabelle. She, uh... She's the gentlest soul I've ever met, and... and I--"

"Yes, I know there are certain things about her that you wish to discuss with me. I promise I will listen to what you have to say about Anabelle's situation after we finish the task for which you are here today. We're almost at the center of the garden, so it will be just a few moments more. Would you wait until then?" she asked with the disarming gentleness of a mother.

"Y-yes, of course..."

"Thank you," said the goddess, smiling. "Oh, look! It seems as though we've already arrived! Welcome to the center of Howling Grove's core, young one!"

Indeed, Elise saw that they were both standing on a wide circular opening in the garden. The floral path they had been walking on had led them there directly. Circling the outer border of the opening were several concentric rings of flowers of a different type each. And in the middle of the arena-like area...

"W-what's that?"

Elise slowly walked toward the center of the circular opening, where a particular bed of flowers lay. She gazed upon it with deep fascination. "I... I don't believe..." she began as she drew closer to it. "I don't believe I've ever seen this kind of flower before..."

As though spellbound by their otherworldly beauty, the brownish wolf girl couldn't help but study those flowers closely, taking in their particular features, although she didn't dare to actually touch them. Something within her soma told her she was beholding something holy; something divine that was not meant to be touched by a mere mortal.

The flowers in question were about twice the size of her head. Each of them was comprised of five wide petals that gently tapered into a fine point each. They were white, with a subtle shade of turquoise toward the center. But their most striking characteristic was their glow. Indeed, those flowers emitted a silvery shine, not unlike that of the full moon.

"You wouldn't have. These are called 'selenias,' and they're the last of their kind. As a matter of fact, they have been extinct in the outside world for over three millennia," explained Mother Moon.

"Selenias..." echoed Elise, fascinated. "T-the last of their kind..."

"Indeed. That's why they are the centerpiece of this garden, and why I've made it my mission to watch over them for all eternity. Well, that, and also because of the magic they possess."

"Magic?"

"That's right," pleasantly hummed the goddess, waving her heavenly tail softly behind her. "As a fellow florist, I'm sure you are acquainted with flower symbolism. Certainly, every kind of flower has a meaning attached to it. For example, magnolias represent beauty, celosias represent friendship, marigolds represent passion, and so on and so forth."

"So... w-what do these represent?" humbly asked Elise.

"Selenias, young one, represent protection."

"P...protection..." quietly repeated the little wolf girl to herself as she continued to behold the silvery shine of the selenias' petals with reverent fascination.

"Ah, but I didn't bring you here just to show you these flowers, did I?" said the goddess, drawing Elise's attention. "Let us not forget that there's something of utmost importance that we must do now."

'R-right. The Oneness Test,' thought Elise, forgetting about the flowers for a moment. 'This is it, then. This must be where she'll judge whether I'm a good fit for the pack or not.'

"Are you ready, Elise?"

"I-- I am!" she affirmed. 'W-what is it going to be? It-- it can't be a test of strength, right? There's absolutely no way I could ever hope to defeat a goddess! So, could it be a test of knowledge, then? What else could it be? W-well, whatever it is, I know at least one thing: except for Anabelle, every vanni in Howling Grove has passed it. And if they could all do it, then surely I--'

"Very well," said Mother Moon, interrupting Elise's runaway thoughts. "First and foremost, please take off your pendant."

"A-alright..."

Using her paws, the little she-wolf did as asked.

"Now, remove the Moon Stone from its hook, if you would, please."

Again, Elise obediently did as instructed, carefully detaching the glowing round stone from the claw-like hook that kept it tied to the rest of the necklace.

"L-like this?"

"Yes. Now... please take the Moon Stone and bury it among the selenias."

That request surprised her a little, but she complied anyway. Thus, taking the small white orb in her mouth, she found a free patch of soil among the shimmering flowers and began to dig a hole in it with her lupine paws. Then, she dropped the glowing little orb inside and pushed the pile of dirt she had dug out back into the hole with her nose.

"W-what's next?" she asked.

"That's it! You're done!" brightly chirped the motherly goddess, giving the tiny she-wolf a big, radiant smile.

"I'm... done? B-but... What about the test?"

"You passed! With flying colors, even!"

"I-- what?" exclaimed Elise, gawking confusedly. "T-the Oneness Test was... burying the Moon Stone among the selenias?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" answered the giant silvery she-wolf, amused by the little one's reaction. "Do you remember the pleasant conversation we had as we walked along the path that brought us here? _That_was the test!"

Elise was shocked speechless. 'T-that was the test??'

"You see," continued Mother Moon, "the Oneness Test isn't about measuring your strength or how much knowledge you might have accumulated. No; the Oneness Test is a test of the heart. It determines whether your soma bond can truly be a harmonic oneness, as reflected by the purity of your intentions. Indeed, by making casual conversation with a vanni, I can peek into their heart and see what lies in there. And so, the more you told me about how much fun you were having in Howling Grove, and how deeply you love your friends and your soma-bonded lycca-mate, the more of your heart I could see."

"So... m-my heart is..."

"Your heart, Elise, is as pure as they come! I'm very happy to say that I couldn't find even the tiniest speckle of darkness within it!" said the enormous goddess, smiling proudly. "Clearly, Fang is in very good hands with you!"

"D-does it mean that... I get to stay in the grove with him?"

"Of course! It's what you justly deserve!"

"Th-thank you!" exclaimed the brownish she-wolf, bowing her head respectfully. "I'm... so relieved to hear that!"

"I would imagine! If I recall, your friends Rose and Marjorie had also reacted similarly!"

"Oh, did they?" asked Elise, raising her head again, ears perked.

"Indeed! And I remember that their hearts were remarkably pure as well, just like yours!"

"What? Rose's heart is pure??"

The goddess laughed mirthfully at this.

"It sure is! You see, the admittedly _strong_traits of Rose's personality have no bearing on the purity of her heart. She's still fiercely loyal to those she cares about, and wants nothing but to live a happy life in Howling Grove, with Daggerclaw at her side."

"I see," hummed Elise. "So... what about Anabelle, if I may ask? Did she... truly fail the test?"

"Unfortunately, she did," sadly said the goddess, lowering her head somewhat. "A third of her heart was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, undoubtedly corrupted by the tortured life she had to endure at the hands of her step-father. It was too much evil intent, and I had no choice but to fail her."

"W-was it because she killed that horrible man with her lyccan claws?"

"That was the catalyst, I would say," somberly nodded Mother Moon. "I don't know how much your friends told you, but... Anabelle deeply enjoyed the act of slaughtering that man. She took sadistic pleasure in torturing him to the utmost of her ability, and she dragged it out for nearly an hour, just to milk as many agonizing screams of pain out of him as she could."

"I... didn't know that part," admitted Elise; her ears drooping. "I knew she killed him, but they didn't tell me all the details..."

"It's complicated, Elise. On one hand, there's no question that Anabelle's step-father was an abominable man. But, on the other hand, she went well above and beyond the simple act of taking revenge on him, transforming it into a ghastly display of profoundly unsettling sadism. For about an hour, she unrepentantly indulged the wicked emotions that had taken root in the darkest recesses of her heart. Truly, I had never seen that much evil intent concentrated in the heart of a single vanni in centuries."

"But... it wasn't her fault, was it?" tried the little she-wolf. "Whatever corruption might lie in her heart, it surely came from that man! He created the monster that ultimately killed him, didn't he?"

"He certainly did. I never said it was Anabelle's fault. Any way we look at it, it was a very unjust, very unfortunate situation for all involved, and she undoubtedly got hurt the most. Alas, as a mother, I have to prioritize my children over anything else. After all, a soma bond can be a double-edged sword..."

"H...how so?"

"Well..." began Mother Moon, gently sitting on the ground. "There's a phrase you might have heard on occasion around Howling Grove. It goes something like: 'the desires of a vanni always come before the desires of her lycca.' Have you heard it before?"

"I... Yes. Fang told me that a couple times, word for word. I'm pretty sure Fleetpaw said it to Margie as well, at least once, when she asked him to show her his lycca form. And I think both Daggerclaw and Darkhowl have expressed that sentiment too, if I recall Rose's and Anabelle's stories well."

"That, Elise, is core rule number zero. It has absolute priority, and it only applies to non-vanni male lycca. Like the other six core rules, it's embedded into a lycca's bloodstream indelibly. Also, it's the only core rule I didn't set, as it came into being from the original Lycca himself."

"W-what does that mean?" asked the smaller she-wolf.

"It means that, ultimately, no lycca will ever disobey their vanni. They are loyal to them to a fault. Imagine, then, what would happen if an unscrupulous vanni one day decided she wanted to abuse this power for her own ends. Indeed, a vanni with a dark heart could do catastrophic damage to the pack. And I simply cannot have that happen. That's why I established the Oneness Test; to make sure selfish vanni with evil intentions never have a chance to destroy the safe haven I created for my dear children."

Elise stood silent for a few somber moments...

"But Anabelle is so happy with Darkhowl..." quietly spoke the wolf girl. "I promise you: the love they share is real. And strong. I dare say it's far, far stronger than whatever darkness she might still carry within her. And that's why I... I simply don't believe she could ever be a danger to Howling Grove... Because Darkhowl's love gives her the strength she needs to... to keep that dark side of hers at bay."

Mother Moon let out a deep, heavy sigh.

"What you've just said, Elise, is what I want to believe," she spoke. "That's why I decided to take a risk with her, instead of just severing her bond and banishing her without a second thought. Like you said, her love for Darkhowl is unequivocally selfless, pure and genuine. I know, because I saw it myself when I judged her heart one year ago, in this very same garden. Truly, its bright, beautiful shine was a thing of wonder, and I simply couldn't bring myself to snuff it out."

Elise shuddered as she was suddenly reminded of the terrifying power Mother Moon wielded. "W-well... Thank you for deciding against severing her bond," said Elise, bowing her head somewhat nervously.

"Indeed, I gave her a second chance, but not before I was sure she understood the risk I was taking by doing so. After all, I was going to knowingly let a vanni with a tainted heart into Howling Grove, hoping that her love for her lycca-mate was strong enough to always prevail over that inner darkness of hers. Thus, I needed her to show me the extent of her commitment to Darkhowl and the rest of the pack. I needed to see if she was truly willing to give up anything I asked of her in exchange for keeping her soma bond intact."

"So that's why you had her take that vow of silence..." quietly said the brownish wolf girl.

"It was the option I presented her with, yes. But taking it was her decision. I'm glad she did, though, because I didn't want to erase her bond, and with it, her love. Indeed, to be fully honest with you, I always wanted Anabelle to stay. I never sought to banish her. But I needed some form of assurance that I wasn't making a mistake in bending my own rules in her favor," she explained. "After that, it was a matter of seeing whether she was committed to keeping her vow or not. Fortunately, it seems that her love for Darkhowl has indeed prevailed so far. It's been a year since she took the vow, and she hasn't come close to breaking it even once."

"That's because Anabelle is much stronger than she looks. Not even Rose can help admiring the resolute strength of her spirit. Myself, I have no doubt that she will keep her vow forever if she must. That's just how important Darkhowl is to her," declared Elise with firm conviction, raising both her head and her ears.

Mother Moon remained silent for a moment... until she closed her bright white eyes and smiled.

"You cannot imagine how glad I am to hear those words spoken with such earnest confidence," she said, opening her eyes again. "Alright, Elise. You leave me with no choice. It seems as though the time has come for me to free Anabelle from her vow. Because that's what you were going to ask of me, right?"

"Y...you'll do it? You'll let her speak again?" Exclaimed Elise, surprised at the goddess' sudden declaration.

"Considering she has demonstrated her commitment for a full year, and was able to make such good friends in Rose, Marjorie and you -- friends who will so readily vouch for her as you have -- it seems evident that she has her darkness under control. So, yes, I will send her her Moon Stone back tomorrow, so that she can come to me again. I have held onto it all this time precisely for this reason."

"Oh! I can't imagine how happy she'll be when you tell her she can speak again!"

"And it won't just be Anabelle. Remember that Darkhowl had been sharing the burden of her vow since the first day, and by his own choice, even though he didn't need to. So, this decision will liberate him as well, which makes me doubly happy," said the wolf goddess, standing up. Then, something else caught her attention: "Ah, Elise, look! It seems like your selenia seed is sprouting!"

"What? My selenia seed?"

The confused wolf girl turned towards the central patch of selenias, and then she saw it. There, exactly where she had buried her Moon Stone, a tiny sprout had shot forth from the ground and continued to grow before her astonished eyes.

"T-the Moon Stone... was a seed all along?" she asked, surprised.

"That is correct! Moon Stones aren't stones at all. They are seeds of selenia plants!"

Rapidly did the sprout develop among its peers. Soon, its budding leaves unfurled one by one as its rising stalk grew sturdier by the second. Elise couldn't help but to gawk at it all. She simply had never seen a plant growing so fast before!

"You see," continued the goddess, "these plants are unique in that they don't require water to grow, but love. Indeed, that's the reason why I require every new vanni to wear a selenia seed as a pendant for a few days before meeting with me. By wearing it in that manner, the seed is able to establish an invisible, harmless link with its wearer's soma bond, through which it can feed off the love she and her lycca share. And once it has absorbed enough of that love, it begins to glow, signaling that it's ready to be planted."

"A plant... that absorbs love... as though it was water," repeated Elise as she watched her selenia beginning to bloom.

"Every selenia flower you see here is tied to one vanni and one lycca each," said Mother Moon, taking a step forward. "For example, that one to your left is Rose and Daggerclaw's. And that other one over there is Marjorie and Fleetpaw's."

"So... this one -- the one I planted -- is mine and Fang's?"

"Exactly. It represents you both, as it's connected to the soma bond that links the two of you together," explained the goddess as the large white flower bloomed beautifully. "As long as your bond with Fang remains intact, that flower will never die, for the love you two share will keep it strong, healthy and full of life."

"Incredible..." whispered Elise, deeply fascinated. "So there are as many selenia flowers here as there are couples in Howling Grove... right?"

"Indeed. Counting yours, there are twenty-seven flowers in total at this very moment; one for each soma-bonded lycca-and-vanni mateship in the grove. Of course, Anabelle and Darkhowl don't have one yet, but I'm sure that's going to change very soon."

"So, I wonder... W-what purpose do they serve? If I may ask, of course."

"Do you recall when I said selenia flowers represent protection?" asked the giant shimmering goddess in turn.

"Y-yes, I do..."

"Well, instead of oxygen, these wondrous plants produce protective magic. In fact, that's what makes their petals shine! I can then channel that magic into the barrier that keeps Howling Grove shielded from the rest of the world. So, in other words, you could say that Howling Grove is effectively protected by the love of all the soma-bonded couples that inhabit it!"

"Oh, wow, that's-- that's amazing!" exclaimed Elise, beyond impressed. "No wonder these flowers are so important! The grove depends on them!"

"Just as they themselves depend on all of you!" added Mother Moon. "Heh, Rose and Marjorie were just as surprised when they learned about this as well, as were most other vanni for that matter. None of them imagined that the bonds of love they shared with their lycca were the pillars supporting the grove's barrier!"

"Oh!" said the young one, turning to Mother Moon. "T-that's right! Every vanni has done this! Every single one of them had spoken with you and learned all about the true nature of the Oneness Test, the Moon Stones, the flowers and all!"

"Certainly! They all wanted to know, and I simply don't mind indulging their curiosity!"

"But... all this knowledge is fleeting, isn't it?" asked Elise, lowering the volume of her voice somewhat. "After all, none of them has ever remembered anything of what they saw and learned when they were here. And I suppose the same is going to happen to me too, when I leave this garden. That simply begs the question: why is it so?"

"Ah, that's a good question, Elise," stated the silvery wolf goddess with something of a forlorn sigh. "The answer is... complicated. It has to do with the laws of entropy."

"E...entropy?"

"Basically, all things that exist in a given point in time and space can only be in a single state at a time. So... let's say you have a bucket of white paint. You could keep it pure white, or you could add other colors to tint it, but then it would no longer be in its original state. That bucket of paint can't be both the original white color and the new color at the same time. It can only be one or the other. Now, in that example, you are the bucket, and the color of the paint inside is your state of entropy."

"I'm sorry, I... I'm not sure I'm following..." admitted Elise, drooping her ears in shame.

"Right. This won't make any sense to you unless you know how the barrier works," hummed the goddess, thinking of how to break it down for the poor, confused girl. "In the simplest terms I can muster, the barrier that protects Howling Grove is, in essence, a fold in time and space."

"A... fold? How so?"

"Think of reality as a sheet of paper, if you will. And by 'reality' I mean all of it, including time and space," suggested Mother Moon. "Well, a long time ago, I cast a very complicated spell that 'folded' a small part of reality. Inside the fold, the same day and night cycle would loop eternally, which is why the moon is always full within the boundaries of Howling Grove. However, that loop only affects the framework of the barrier. Time still flows normally inside the rest of the grove. Are you following me so far?"

"Y-yes, I think so..."

"Alright. This garden we are in is also kept separate from the outside world via a similar fold. It's a fold within a fold, if you will. The difference is that the day and night cycle looping here is from the distant past, and it affects _everything_except for the selenia flowers and me. Indeed, what you see here is what the grove looked like about four millennia ago."

"W-wait," said Elise, blinking in amazed puzzlement. "D...does this mean I'm in the past now?"

"That's correct! The very moment the ivory gate closed, you were transported four millennia back in time! And when you leave, you'll jump back into the present, where Fang and your friends are waiting patiently for you on the other side of the gate."

"Oh, wow... I can't believe I traveled back in time! This magic sure is powerful... and complicated!"

"You have no idea!" laughed Mother Moon, swishing her ethereal silvery tail. "And here comes the part where I can actually answer your original question. You see, because you don't belong in this part of the timeline, anything you gain here only belongs here, and that includes knowledge. You can't go back to the present knowing more than you knew when you left; or less for that matter, as any difference would create an entropy mismatch. In fact, the time fold itself forces you to return to the present in the same state you left."

"So... we can bring things here from the present with us, such as the Moon Stones, but we can't take anything from here back to the present, including the experience of even having been here. Because that would alter our... 'entropy,' was it? D...do I have this right?"

"I think you do! The important part is that you can only return to the present in the same state you left it," spoke the wolf goddess.

"Does that have anything to do with why I'm locked into my feral wolf form here?"

"Ah, yes, enforcing a single form simplifies the whole process, as then it doesn't have to take shape-shifting into account."

"O...okay, I see," said Elise, still ruminating about everything inwardly. "But there's one thing I still don't understand. One year ago, Anabelle returned to the present knowing at least one more thing than she knew before she came here, right? I... I mean, she knew she had taken the vow of silence..."

"Indeed. I do possess the power to prevent some or all loss of knowledge from occurring, as my will still overrules the 'will' of the time fold, so to speak. But every time I make use of it, the resulting entropy imbalance puts a big strain on the Howling Grove barrier, weakening it. That's why I only ever use that power when it's strictly necessary, as was the case with Anabelle."

"Oh, I see. I... think I understand now," nodded Elise. "Thank you for taking the time to explain all these difficult things to me... even though I'll forget it all the moment I leave!"

"It was my pleasure!" said Mother Moon with a smile. "Anything else you might wish to know before you depart?"

Elise thought about it for a few moments...

"As a matter of fact... yes. There are two more questions I'd like to ask you."

"Then, by all means, ask away!"

"Alright. The first one is... Why is the moon bigger in Howling Grove?"

"Oh!" exclaimed the goddess, who might have been expecting a more difficult question instead. "I suppose it looks that way because of my Lunar Sight ability, which is at its most powerful within the boundaries of the grove. After all, that's my 'eye in the sky'!"

"Okay, I suppose that makes sense," assented the little wolf girl. "As for my second question... Well, I was wondering about how... this all came to be."

The goddess blinked.

"You want to learn about the origins of my lycca children?"

"If... if it wouldn't be too much trouble..."

"It would be no trouble at all!" cordially exclaimed Mother Moon, smiling brightly. "Very well, then! Sit down, young one. Make yourself comfortable, if you will, for this is the story of the birth of the lyccan race..."

To be concluded...