Frêllian had spend too much time to reach the black rocks. Having spend over three hours just to cross the plain. The wind had slowed her down and the cold hadn't helped either. Even her thick fur provided little protection as the icy wind tried to hold her back as the snow blocked her view. Almost like a silent threat for her to return, for it had pocked up mare minutes after she had set food to cross the open field of snow. The howling wind all she could hear as she practically crawled through the soft blanket of snow.

But she wouldn't! She had come this far, not even the cold winter wind could stop her now. She needed to see them! For him, for them! She needed their wisdom if they were to have even a slimmer of a chance. And she would do all in her might to find them, even if it was to cost her own life!

So she continued her way through the blizzard. Her body begging her to stop. To return and forget about this foolish quest. Her head strongly agreed. But her heart willed her body to continue. She was so close! So close now! Even the cold wind and strong snowfall could no longer hide the silhouettes of the rocks.

With each and every step they became clearer now. And closer. The wind picked up, the piercing sound hurting her sensitive ears. The cold snow now falling even harder, making it impossible to see. The snow beneath her now reached her belly as she moved on. Walking was almost impossible, yet she proceeded. If she couldn't walk through the snow, then she would jump! No matter how sore her legs were, she could not turn back now! She would not turn back! She wouldn't!

And just like that, the wind dropped. The heavy snowfall now completely gone and all she was met with, was silence. Complete silence.

It was magic, the ferian realised in amazement! For the moment she set foot on the rocks, she felt herself shift back by force. Whatever magic lingered here, it did not approve her disguise. Yet much to her surprise the temperature was not as cold as it had been. It was still cold, but nothing like she had felt just moments ago and she had been cloaked by her thick fur!

Her legs still felt sore, yet she could feel her energy slowly return as she looked back over her shoulder. Behind her, there was no trace of the blizzard she had encountered. The clouds had all disappeared and instead she looked up to see a blue sky, Íler his warmth much warmer than it had been before. The only indicator of heavy snowfall, was the fact that all her footsteps were now gone. Covered by the freshly fallen snow.

'You are brave to venture this far from home,' a deep, feral voice echoed through the air. 'Or a fool perhaps?'

Frêllian scanned her surroundings in the hopes of finding the owner of the voice. But all she could see was snow and rock.

'The runt has come all the way here to Dreackengrât. I say she is a fool,' another chuckled.

'Oh sush you two.' This time it was a female, who seemed to snarl at the male. Then she continued much quieter. 'Can you not see she is just a pup? And she has come to the lands of eternal winter to see us, not to be belittled.'

'Nûrma is right,' the first one spoke out once again. 'The pup has done what none before her have even dared to do. It is a feat we should praise, not dismiss. No matter how foolish her venture might be.'

Though it might have been a compliment, Frêllian took it as an insult at the same time. After all, he had called her a fool for seeking out the direwolves.

'Perhaps you could show yourself then,' she said as polite as possible. 'If you wish to praise me, then I would be honoured to see your faces.'

Much to her surprise, they seemed to agree. For one by one wolves appeared from their hidingplace. Black wolves, grey wolves and one as white as snow. Seven in total stood before her now and Frêllian could only stare at them in amazement. They were bigger than an average wolf, but not by much. Though their fangs longer and their fur shaggier. Yet they stood strong and proud and regal.

The ancient wolves of the north, she had found them!

Without hesitation, the ferian bowed before them, before looking up again. The white wolf stepped forth, his golden eyes inspecting her intensely as he did so. And as he did, so did she. He was an old wolf, she could tell by his scent, but also from his appearance. Yet his was not weak, for else he would not be the leader of the pack.

'Forgive me, where are our manners. It has been ages since we've had visitors,' he said and she recognized him as the first wolf that had spoken. 'I am Edalwülf and we have been waiting for you, young one. We have been waiting for you for some time now.'

'What do you mean, sir? How could you have known of my arrival?'

'Selèna told us,' Edalwülf simply answered as he stopped right in front of her. 'She had come to us in a dream, informing us that one day a young ferian would cross the white plains to seek our wisdom. And now, here you are.'

She looked at the white direwolf in surprise. Selèna had informed them of her arrival? When? And why? Why would she inform the direwolves of her arrival? Why would she do that? Would the pack have attacked her otherwise? Would they have killed her? And if so, why?

'Why would she do such a thing,' Frêllian questioned, her blue eyes scanning each and every member of the pack, before landing on the direwolf in front of her. 'My visit is of no importance, but my own. For I seek wisdom concerning my heart and duty.'

This earned a chuckle from the pack, before Edalwülf hushed them with a warning bark. She was after all just a youngster and had much to learn still. And she believed him, she believed without a doubt that she was just a mere pup to them. Even if she was of age for some years now. But these wolves held a wisdom beyond her imagination. Their kind had been here when Selèna was still gracing the night sky. They had been here, when she descended down to be with her lover. And even now, their descendants stood mighty and proud before her.

'Your visit is of greater importance than you might think, Frêllian.' She did not even question how he knew her name. Instead she silently waited for the wolf to continue. 'We are old, dear child, very old. Our time is running short. We have already faded into legend by most folk, but our descendants.'

His golden eyes softened as he spoke. A longing hiding in them, she did not understand. She then looked behind him to see a black wolf, her voice demanding, yet gentle as she spoke.

'Still, through my brother we shall live on,' she said. 'Through the line of Dêrus, we shall live on. So do not dwell on what is to come, father. Tell the pup what she wants to know, so that I can join my brother soon.'

Brother? Dêrus? Was this the sister of her ancestor? And his father? Was this the pack he originated from? How could that be? How could they still be alive? Frêllian found herself looking at each and every member once again. Her heart now beating rapidly in her chest at this newfound revelation. Her breathing becoming more shallow as she let it all sink in, feeling anxious and excited at the same time. These were her ancestors! These direwolves where her ancestors and they would soon fade into myth!

'Look what you have done, Dagrún,' the elder grey wolf scowled as she glared at the black wolf. 'You scared the poor thing. Come now, child. Do not dwell on things that do not concern you. We have gathered here to grand you permission and to give you an assignment.'

Frêllian looked at the she-wolf she had heard Edalwülf call Nûrma in wonder. What assignment? But she could not find her voice to ask. Though luckily, the elderly wolf already answered as she stepped towards her and Edalwülf.

'Fell things are growing in the shadows,' she said as she stopped next to Edalwülf. 'Things that will remain hidden for years. But Selèna has warned us of what is to come, though she would not say all. But she had come to us to give you an assignment.'

'What would she have me do?' Her voice was just a whisper. Quiet and filled with worry. 'What is it she wants me to do?'

The alpha and his mate looked at one another, before Edalwülf answered.

'To find your long lost sister. Find the lost child of Aelash.'

This took Frêllian by surprise. The lost child of Aelash, that had been what Selèna had spoken of in her dreams as well. The blood of Aelash still lived with men, or so Selèna had said. And she needed her daughter for something!

'But there is no trace of wolfblood found within men,' Frêllian spoke after a silence. 'Those before me had searched and searched for years for our sister, yet none succeeded.'

'That is because her blood lays dormant,' Nûrma replied. 'Sleeping until the right child is born. It will take some time before she is born, but when that day comes, you must find her and take her under your wing. Train her the best you can, for she has a role to play in future events.'

'Which brings us to your question.' Frêllian turned her head to look at Edalwülf again. 'Go to the Lonely Mountain. Seek for the king under the mountain that holds your heart and mate with him if you want.'

Her heart skipped a beat at this news. She was not surprised to hear Edalwülf knew of the dwarf she loved. If Selèna had visited them, then surely she had stated Frêllian's business too. Besides, her heart was to restless to even hear reason. Where they really giving her their blessing? Would it really be possible for her to be with Fíli and have peace with the ferien? And would that not result in the same mistake her mother had made? A mistake that had cost the previous alpha supreme her life?

'But,' Edalwülf continued, startling the ferian. 'Your union will come with a price.'

And just like that, her heart dropped to her stomach. Of course there was a price! With dreadful eyes, she looked at the direwolf. Her head low as she waited for him to continue.

'The price is your firstborn. Do not fret, no harm shall be done,' he quickly continued upon seeing her troubled face. 'Your line shall continue. You shall pay your people with the promise of your firstborn to lead them once they come of age. If you consent, then you have the blessing of Selèna. A blessing your people cannot deny.'

Frêllian let it all sink in. Would it really be that simple? Let her firstborn claim the title when they were of age? That was all it would take for her to be with Fíli?

No, it couldn't be, could it? It could not be that the answer she had been looking for, was that simple! There had to be a catch, there had to be! She had learned over the years that the simple answer was never the right one.

Her eyes went over each and every wolf, searching for any sigh of - of what actually? Betrayal? They were no allies, no acquaintances. They had only just met and not once had they made any attempts to harm her. Belittle her, yes but no harm. They had been truthful, at least they appeared to be.

Besides, what did they hope to gain by lying to her? So that meant that they were probably truthful. But she still could not believe that the answer would be that easy. Perhaps they misunderstood Selèna? But she quickly dismissed the thought. No, they seemed to be wise enough to understand the moonspirit's message perfectly, unlike Frêllian. Who has trouble understanding what the spirit tried to tell her. So did that really mean the answer had been that easy? Had she made this trip for nothing? She could have just told her people that her firstborn would take her place the moment they were of age? Even if it would almost take a century?

And that's when she realised the problem. Her people! They had been without an alpha supreme for decades and while they were loyal, their bond was still fragile. Five years was just a mere blink in the eyes of ferien. And her own predecessor had caused quite the mess she was still cleaning up. Packs in the south still kept their distance and if she hadn't travelled south, she would have never met them, for the leading alpha refused to travel north to meet his alpha supreme.

If she was to go back to Imladris and tell them what these ancient wolves had told her, they would not take her word. They would think she was just making up an excuse to abandon her duty and instead follow her own hearts desire. For who else was with her to confirm her story? Canwrîf was on the other side of the mountain, unaware of what was being discussed here.

And then there was the matter of Aelash. Even the alpha pack did not believe such a story. That the child was just a bedtime story. Should she bring such a matter up, they would think she was insane. They would most definitely not search for a myth, not even if ordered by their alpha supreme.

'You seem troubled, dear,' Nûrma spoke, snapping Frêllian out of her thoughts. 'Are you not overjoyed?'

'I am,' Frêllian replied as she wrapped her arms around her body. 'Yet I am not at the same time. I am joyful that I have Selèna's blessing, yet I have nothing to prove to my people that I am honest, if I where to tell them what you have told me. You may not know this, but many bonds have been broken over the years and I have only just started to try and mend them. My word alone would not suffice.'

Nûrma nodded in understanding. Then she turned her head to the side to look at one of the grey wolves and spoke. The words came in an ancient language, consisting barks combined with ferish. But the words were unfamiliar to Frêllian. Still the smaller wolf nodded and walked off, walking towards the large rocky wall behind him, which Frêllian only now noticed held the opening of a cave. It took a few moments, before the wolf appeared again.

While she could not see anything visually different about the wolf, he now carried a different scent. Though it was faint, for her sense of smell was not as keen as it was in her wolf form, she still noticed. It was an unfamiliar scent, yet familiar at the same time. A scent that felt like home and it made her feel at ease.

'Take this to your people,' Nûrma said as the grey direwolf stopped next to the she-wolf. 'Show it to them and they will know you speak the truth.'

As she held out her hand, a small rock was placed inside her hand. Though she could tell it wasn't an ordinary rock, even if it looked like one. There was a scent to it that told her immediately what it was. The scent she had picked up with the grey direwolf, that felt like home. It came from this rock.

'It is what Selèna was born from,' Nûrma explained. 'When she was transformed, this was what acted as a cocoon.'

'And now it will be the proof you need for your people.' Frêllian turned her head towards Edalwülf, the small lunar stone in her hand. 'Take good care of it, for it is the last of Selèna that is left on this world.'

'I will,' Frêllian promised as she looked at the stone in amazement. The last piece of Selèna was in her hands, such a rare item to behold indeed. While it was not much to look at, every ferian would know what this stone was and the value it held. 'It shall become an heirloom of the ferien race.'

That seemed to please the elder direwolf, for he nodded with a grunt. Then he stood up, the others following his lead.

'Go now, young one. Go and return to where your heart lies. But do not forget the mission Selèna has set out for you. The child of Aelash shall be born during this age, for the end is near and the enemy is waiting.'

Before Frêllian could reply the wind suddenly picked up and she felt herself being forced into her wolfform. Her sense of smell increasing and the warmth of her fur protecting her from the harsh cold wind. But as she looked to where the direwolves had stood, she found nothing. Not a trace was seen, even if they had just stood there a moment before. Only a lingering scent telling her it had not been a dream. That, and the warm tingling feeling she felt in her left paw, exactly where the lunar stone of Selèna had been before she shifted. The scent of the stone now mixed with her own scent.