Prologue

Newly painted a vibrant orange, the ancient ash tree dropped its first leaf of autumn. The leaf swept downwards, dancing and twirling through the chilling air. With a brisk movement that snuck through the underbrush, the leaf was swept up. Running and bouncing against the back of a wolf's sleek black fur, as he glided between the low branches of the pines and the reaching shoots of the ferns. His large padded feet barely made a sound as he weaved through the forest. His two other companions following close behind. Their breath steady, as they danced perfectly around one another. 

The largest of the wolves was pitch black in color, with light-brown eyes that pierced ahead. His legs were longer than most wolves and his paws larger, making him one of the fastest of his pack. The most prominent feature was the patch of pure white fur that grew up his chest and down between his front paws towards his belly. 

The other two wolves were very similar in size. One only slightly larger than the other. The bigger of the two had a thick coat of dark grey, with black markings stretching across his back. A white mask across his face and muzzle perfectly casing his dark, yellow-green eyes. 

The last wolf of the group was much lighter in color. His coat was a sandy beige that darkened to a tawny brown. The only patch of dark fur on the wolf was on his ears. Both ears were covered in a dark deep, brown that trailed in a thin line down his nose and between his olive green eyes. It was he that trailed behind the other two wolves, uncertainty filling his thoughts. The journey he and his brothers were on, was not one of permission. Or rather, they had not told anyone of their plan, but without a doubt, he knew that their alpha would not be pleased with their endeavors if he were ever to find out. They had come up with the plan in good intention, but as they traveled to Duir, the largest and oldest oak tree in the forest, the brown wolf began to feel hesitant. 

The plan had originally been to simply ask the old widow, Nuada, for help. She was a practitioner of Divination, and the brothers hoped that she would be able to help them find what they were searching for. A very precious essence that their pack leader believed would, if they waited patiently, walk right to their front door. They had waited nearly three years, and still, nothing. His two brothers, and he himself and decided, that they had waited long enough. But when they had asked Nuada, she had not been able to see anything, so she had sent them to where they were headed now, the Mother Oak. Nuada had told them that a great Druidess lived in the forest at the Mother Oak and she would be able to help them.

The three wolves, slowed their pace as they reached their destination. The forest cut off to a small opening in which the oak was resting, a small trickling stream flowing around and under its massive roots. This small opening in the forest was very much alive with nature. Tall grass swayed, as hundreds of dragonflies, beetles, and tiny flying insects zipped through the air, twirling, and diving between the grass blades. The sun blessed the area in beauty as its rays of light danced through the canopy of the oaks wide-reaching, moss-covered branches. The wolves spared no second glance to the allure of nature, for their sights, were set in the lower branches of the Mother Oak, because sitting there hidden in the shadows, was a woman graced with sensual curves and bewitching looks: the Druidess they had been sent for.

The wolves approached with caution, their bodies stalking through the tall grass towards her. Her own imperial topaz eyes watching their every move. She wasn't scared of them though, even as they stalked towards her, a smile tipp