RE: FF: Trials of the Moon: Chapter One

["Bill Gopher" <asagiri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aeris,
Very cool start. But I have one question though, didn't you just send this
very same story under a slightly diff't title to the list but as a
Willow/Tara pairing a few days ago??

--Bill Gopher
-----Original Message-----
From: aerisjade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:aerisjade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 8:15 PM
To: AllForSlashWorld; Buffy & Willow; Buffy Loves Willow; Buffy wants
Willow; Halls Of Torment; Hand Of Chaos; Willow; Willow Crossovers; Willow
Slash; Willow Slash Fanfic; Willow's Little Secret
Subject: FF: Trials of the Moon: Chapter One




Title: Trials of the Moon

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: One

Pairing: Willow/Buffy

Fandom: BtVS/Werewolf the Apocalypse

Timeline: A year and a half after the season finale
of this season.

Spoilers: Oh yeah, anything and everything is up
for grabs.

Beta Reader: Dark Gremlin


Summary: Willow starts the process of getting her
life back on track over a year after that Tara died.
Only, when she arrives back in Sunnydale, will the
gang be willing to help her or will her mistakes
create a rift between them.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy, and Paramount pictures. Werewolf the
Apocalypse belongs to white wolf productions and
minds eye theatre.


<---------->
PROLOGUE
<---------->


The boulder's surface, stained with blood and
spittle, darkened as the red haired female hoarsely
screamed incoherently. Skin ravaged by hunger,
deep bites, and claw wounds, half healed and scabbed,
broke open from her thrashing against the heavy
chains that kept her trapped on the slab. Her short
red hair was sweat soaked and becoming increasingly
blood splattered, sticking to her hollowed, pale
skin. What had once been faded cargo pants were torn
and shredded, soiled material.

Her screams cut off in a bout of coughing and
exhaustion. The tension unwound leaving her hanging
by the chains. Each gasp and sob was deafening
amidst the forest clearing, bringing tears to
the small groups eyes.

The oldest of the nine nodded to the dark haired
teenager. The raven haired male pushed up on his
glasses then wearily approached the boulder slab
that stood in the middle of the tiny clearing.
With shaking hands, Jeffrey unlocked the manacles
and lowered the unconscious red head to the ground.

The groups Elder kneeled beside the red head, her
greying brown hair glinting from the moonlight. Her
piercing hazel eyes glowed as they shifted over the
younger females body before stopping on the matching
long thick scars that ran across the inside of her
wrists. The Elder's hand danced over the imperfect
blemishes, checking for the fetish. The almost non-
existent tingle was all that was necessary to
confirm the scar fetish had been performed and
successful.

" What does it do? " Jeffery asked.

" It makes her immune to Wyrm eminations. "
Kathy sadly brushed the sweat and blood
matted red hair from the younger woman's
face. " I just wish it hadn't been to late
to stop the initial taint. "

" What do we do now? "

Kathy patted the newest tribal member's
hand, letting him know that she didn't mind
his constant curiosity. " Now we begin the
Rite of Cleansing. " The leader glanced over
the seven remaining members. " Margaret, I
need you to prepare a tattoo fetish for
healing. "

" Yes, Elder. " Margaret replied,
disappearing into the trees.

" But that'll heal her! "

Kathy barely paid the outraged teen any
attention as she began to use a sponge to
wipe away the blood. " That's the general
idea. "

Jeffery gaped at his tribes Elder hoping
that he'd somehow missed something. " B-but
...... Look the bitch betrayed everything Gaia
teaches us. She's nothing but a traitor,
murderer, addict, and worst of all she's a
black spiral dancer. You can't...!!!! "

" Silence, Kitten!!! " The Elder yelled,
raising to her feet with a deadly grace that
left Jeff backing away in fear. " Willow is a
valued member of this tribe, and she is not
a dancer. "

" You said she..."

Kathy growled, taking a swift step closer
to the teen. " I said that she'd been tainted.
That does not mean that she walked the Spiral. "

Jeff bowed his head to the Elder in a show
of submission. " Forgive me Elder. I guess I
don't understand. "

" When we are touched or infected by the
Wyrm, there are still ways to cleanse our
bodies and soul. It's only when we've walked
the Black Spiral Circle that we are permanently
lost to Gaia. "

" I still don't understand how you can heal
her. Doesn't our traditions forbid healing anyone
that is punished by their tribe? "

" And normally I would abide by those traditions,
but this isn't a normal situation. Our kind are
almost completely gone, and we need each and
everyone of our kind if we are going to fight
the Wyrm. Willow especially, is needed in the
fight. She is a strong shaman, with unusually
powerful abilities. "

" But... "

" When she came to us, she was already
considerably weakened, and with her current
wounds, I doubt she could survive losing the
energy needed to heal those kinds of injuries. "

" Elder, the circle has been prepared. "
Jennifer softly interrupted.

Kathy stood back letting David carry Willow's
fragile, prone body to the nearby field. It was
usually a simple process, but tonight, under
the Ahroun moon the Rite of Cleansing was going
to be extremely difficult.

The physical taint alone would take hours
to purge. The emotional, mental, and astral
scars were a hundred times worse. Even after
the Rite was through, the young Shaman would
have a long journey ahead to refind Gaia's
way and Gaia's children's respect.


<----------->
CHAPTER ONE
<----------->


Buffy found herself glancing over what was
left of the scooby gang. Dawn, Xander, and Anya.
Tara had been dead for a little over a year and
a half, and Willow.... Willow had been missing
since the night that she came out of her magical
rampage. Ever since then they'd been searching
for their lost team mate with little to no
success.

They'd all resorted to great length's in
hope of finding her. Going as far as calling
every person they could think of, everyone they knew, and
their families knew. Including her own father, and
various students that she'd known from
Hemery. All to no unveil.

Then there were the other inherent problems
from that week. Dawn, for example, was quieter
than ever, almost like she lost her parents all
over again. The grief the teen had shown at
first had been heartbreaking, shattering her
carefully masked calm.

Then there were the nightmares. Every night
Dawn woke up screaming out for Willow and
Tara before simply curling into a ball as the
sobs rocked her back into a restless sleep.

The family counselor had already recommended
reintroducing Willow into the family. He kept
saying that Willow's involvement in Dawn's life
would help to lessen the nightmare's and night
fears.

" Thinking about Will again? " Xander asked
quietly from his seat across from Buffy.

She sighed at the long winded book that she
was currently combing through in search of the
newest evil. " When am I not? "

" She'll be back. "

" How can you be so sure? "

Xander grinned at the question. " Simple. I
know her better than anyone, and I know that
right now she's trying to deal with what she
did, and once she's dealt, she'll come
straight back here. "

" Or she's laying in some back alley dead,
with no way to Id her. " Anya muttered despite
the dark glares and grimaces of the others.

" Maybe it's just me but I like Xander's
version better. " A severely hoarse voice
cut in.

Buffy cautiously looked into Xander's eyes,
afraid that if she moved, or breathed, or blinked
that the voice she'd ached to hear for so long
would be gone.

" You know, it's not safe leaving the back
door unlocked. Anyone could just wonder in
off the street. "

Buffy slowly looked over at the woman standing
in the training room doorway. The once long,
thick, wavy, dark red hair was now limp and cut
short in a layered pixie cut, that looked like
it was out of necessity rather than for
how it looked.

The once slightly tanned healthy skin was now pale,
hollow, bruised, and clammy. Her clothes had also
been replaced with a pair of thin baggy, almost
see through, white cotton yoga pants. An
unbuttoned over sized thin long sleeved
button up shirt was over a slightly large
white tank top. A pair of dark brown leather
hiking sandals covered her bare feet.

The only jewelry the red head had on was
a pair of plain dark brown leather wrist
guards that completely covered half of
her forearms. Around her neck was a worn
hand made leather stringed choker, with
hand painted beads with various symbols that
she didn't recognize. Similar bracelets were
wrapped around her right ankle.

In other words Willow had never looked
more beautiful in her life.

" Will? " Xander asked cautiously.

The red head gave them a weak, tired
smile, and waggled her fingers in a semi
wave. " Hi guys. "

" Hi guys? She said hi guys!! " Xander
whooped happily, launching himself across
the room and lifted the thin red head into
the air, causing her to drop the small
black east pack book bag. " God Will, you
had us so worried. We didn't think you'd
ever come back. "

Buffy quickly dived at the two friends,
getting in on the hugs. " You shouldn't
have left, we would've helped you. "

" I was in a bad place and I had to
work things out. "

" Never by yourself. " Buffy whispered
fiercely, pulling the red head from Xander
and into her arms. " Never alone. "

Willow nodded into Buffy's neck, trying
to stay on her feet. " Together then. "

" Together. " Xander said.

" Together. "

They looked over at Anya who gave a
slight nod. " Together. "

" Bull shit!!! "

Willow stepped away from the others,
on unsteady legs, to get her first look
at Dawn. The teen was standing at the
research table with her arms crossed.
The young woman was radiating anger,
blame, and hatred.

" Dawnie... "

" Don't call me that!!! You left me
so you don't get to call me that!! You
killed Tara and then you abandoned me!!
Why?!! Why did you leave me!!? How could
you do that to me?! To Tara?!! Why do you
hate me so much?!! Why did you have to
leave me?!!!!! I hate you!!!! DO YOU HEAR
ME???!!!! I!!! HATE!!!! YOU!!!! "

Willow limped over to the raging teen
and forcefully pulled the teen into her
arms. The teen punched at her chest,
slapped, pushed her, and then the sobs
came. Shaking both women from the force
of them.

" I hate you. " Dawn whispered again,
wrapping her arms tightly around the
red head. " Why? "

" Oh Dawnie. I couldn't stay while I
was a danger to you. I love you too
much to do that. "

" No!! You would never do anything
to hurt me. " Dawn protested.

" I already did. " Willow sighed
tiredly. " I... I had to hit rock
bottom to get back up again. "

The red head started to pull away
from Dawn, only to find the teen
had her pinned in place. " No. Don't.
Please don't leave. I didn't mean
it. Just..please don't leave. "

" You never have to apologize for
speaking your mind. Never. "

" So...so you won't leave? "

" No, Dawnie, I won't leave.
However, I do need to talk to you guys. "

" Oh boy, this can't be good. " Xander
commented.

Willow laughed softly. " You have
no idea. "


<--------->

Aeris Jade Orion

Grey Fox, and cause of Discord.

Gabrielle: "Do you deny spying on these women?"
Joxer: "I resent that."
Gabrielle: "Do you deny it?"
Joxer: "No, I just _resent_ it."

Joxer: Hello--heh-heh-- name's Joxer-- spelled, uh [Clears throat]--
J-o-x-e-rrrrrrrr.

Rh: "Would you wanna make a baby with me?"
Jox: "What?!"
Rh: "Will you help?"
Jox: "Wait a minute! You want me to-- to-- to-- make a-- "
Rh: "Right-- will you?"
Jox: "Of course not! Hey, listen! We're not just machines, you
know, you can use to-- . Besides-- you know, uh-- we can't just
do it on command. We need stuff like, uh-- cheap motel rooms and
dirty pictures and lingerie-- stuff like that! We're _not_
animals! But I can get those things!"
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