“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.

“The 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.

          The sun was high in the sky beating down onto the plains, a few stark clouds filled the sky providing shade now and then. As Zarath, Tharon and Hura walked along the hot grassy ground Tharon had already begun to snack on one of the sweet rolls his mother had packed him.

          “Careful Tharon if you eat them all know you might never get one again.” Zarath smiled at his friend shooting him the quick jab, they hadn’t really spoken since they had left the tribe’s camp.

          “I…Know…its…just.” Tharon tried to talk with his mouth full crumps falling onto his new leather vest that he and Zarath had both just received this morning. “I hate this I understand why we have to leave but who knows if we will ever find this Emrick guy your grandfather was talking about.”

          Zarath let out a deep sigh. “I get it I hate this too, honestly this is my fault for dragging you and Hura into my dream of being a great Krellar like my father.”

          “Oh, don’t give me that crap Zarath we both wanted this we just ended up being at the wrong place at the wrong time.” Tharon, slightly annoyed, reached into his bag and shoved a sweet roll into Zarath’s hand.

“Look there is nothing we can do about it now, so we get to Vrak’Thura bath in the waters and find this stupid human and get cured.”

          Zarath couldn’t help but laugh. He knew Tharon was just as nervous and upset about this whole situation but also that he was right there was nothing they could do about it.

“Alright no need to get so boss besides I couldn’t think of anyone better to be doing this with.” Zarath took a bite of the sweet roll as they continued on breaking off a small piece to feed Hura.

“Like you always say Zarath. I’m the shield.” Tharon pounded on his chest making his belly jiggle even in the leather vest.

“And I’m the arrow.” Zarath followed suit pounding on his chest.

It would take them a full four days to reach the forest and at least half a day to make it to Vrak’Thura at its heart. So, they pushed on walking through the plains of the Heartlands in their new armor was a bit different than what they were us too given the culture of their people.

“Do human seriously wear this much clothing and armor on a daily basis.” Tharon pulled at the collar of his leather vest clearly not used to wearing any upper body garments except on rare occasions.

“I actually think they wear more depending on the weather, I’ve only seen humans once and that was back when we were still pups unlike us, they don’t have body fur to protect themselves from the cold.” Zarath scratched at his chin as he tried to remember what humans looked like.

“They sound weird, I know we are supposedly on good terms with them, and they leave the Heartlands alone so that the tribes can wonder without issue.” Tharon rubbed his belly as they walked like normal.

“I think I have more on them Koto gave me some books written in the common tongue when I was learning how to do the rites and my dad told me a bit about them because he over saw the tribe’s security when some of our Garmakar would trade with them. They look similar to elves though taller and stockier like dwarfs if I remember correctly.”

 Zarath patted Hura as she brushed against his leg, he scratched behind her ears which caused her to let out a low rumble akin to a bark.

“But despite the way humans look they make up the largest population on Kantora from what I recall even compared to the dwarves and the elves’ humans have a strength of will, closer to ours and a desire to conquest and competition. But I hear they also create great and impressive things with their technology and magic.” Zarath looked at the sky as he thought about it, humans where a very uncommon sight to Wolfkin only a few every interacted with outsiders of one of the traveling tribes like his and even in one of wolfkin actual permeant settlements like Vaerthruin (heart of the forest) witch is also where Vrak’Thura was located or even the far north settlement of Greyscar Hold witch boarded the dwarven kingdom to the north west and the human kingdom of Aranthor directly north of the heartlands witch was always trying to invaded the southlands. Even the capital of the Heartlands Ebonvale also known as the ancestral birthplace of the wolfkin