* What the Siming, the Master of Fate might look like.

No sooner had Penn crawled through the small entrance into the glowing blue shrine and stood to her feet, then she found herself face to face with the most striking being she had ever laid eyes on. He was a tall dark figure, slender in form, and dressed in a deep black robe that covered him from his neck to his feet. The umbra of his garment was broken here and there by gold and silver seams of delicate light that gave his attire shape and made it look like tangible fabric rather than the very darkness of the universe itself.

His face was exceedingly handsome, but it was his eyes that drew Penn closer without her even being aware she'd moved. In place of them, he had two golden orbs of light that glowed as if lit from within. The glowing orbs in his dark shadowy face gave him a distinctly sinister appearance. But, even so, Penn felt an unexpected pull toward him.

There was no doubt in her mind that he was some kind of immortal or deity. But, what was he doing in the Moon goddess' shrine? And what could he possibly want with her?

"I am Penn," she offered by way of introduction not knowing what else to say.

"Langling," he interrupted.

"You are Langling?" Penn asked with confusion. Hadn't the elders just told her this was the name the Moon goddess gave her?

"I am Siming, Master of Fate," he declared with just a hint of impatience.

So, he'd been correcting her. It seemed he knew her too. Or, her past self - this Langling.

"And what do you need from me?" Penn asked cautiously.

"I don't need anything from you," he corrected her dryly.

"Of course not," Penn offered apologetically. She remained silent afterwards waiting on him to reveal his purpose.

"I am here to offer you a choice," he told her in a cold unfeeling voice.

Intrigued, Penn nodded and waited for more.

"You can remain in the mortal realm and live out the number of your days as written in the Mingyun zhi shu, or you can drink Yiwang, recover your lost memories and be returned to your rightful home in the heavens where your family and friends, the Star Clan, await you."

Penn marvelled for a moment at the idea she might have family in the vastness of space that were waiting to reunite with her, and celestial stars at that too. It was quite mind boggling. Especially when she thought of her birth pack. She was sure that neither her parents or brothers even thought she was alive. They certainly weren't waiting for her return. That would be a fairy tale indeed.

However, the thought of an immortal family of star people waiting for her was just as far fetched. How could she possible be a Soul Star or even the descendent of one? If she looked over her life there was nothing about her that hinted in the least at any such immortal connections. She was just a peculiarity and a cast off. And, she was more and more okay with that now, knowing there were wolves out there who loved her regardless. She thought sweetly of the pups, and Troy in particular.

But what was this business about her number of days here in the mortal realm? It sounded ominous and Penn found herself eyeing the Master of Fate with some suspicion.

"The number of my days are written where?" she asked warily.

"In the Book of Destiny," he clarified for her.

"And what does it say there about my life here?" she inquired.

He scoffed, "It is forbidden to read the book."

Penn raised a quizzical eyebrow, but said no more about it.

"So, you are offering me an unknown future here in the mortal world, or you'll give me all my memories back and send me home to the stars?" she asked slowly and with some reservation.

"Essentially," he agreed.

"What's the catch?" Penn pressed. It was just too simple wasn't it? There had to be a price.

"You will forget this life," he told her without pause or apology. "And, you will not return to Yueliang Nushen."

"Who or what is that?" Penn quizzed the icy immortal.

"Your Moon goddess," he returned.

Penn frowned. What did he mean by that? Hadn't the elders said she and Moon goddess were soul-tied or bound or something like that? Doesn't the Moon goddess want her back? Penn felt like that was the gist of what the elders were saying. Now she wished more than ever that she'd paid closer attention to what they'd been telling her just moments ago instead of wasting her time trying to shift in her new body. 

"Does the Moon goddess know you are making me this offer?" Penn continued to question him.

Who was to say that this immortal and his deal could be trusted? Penn only knew the Moon goddess and only trusted her without reserve. This deity was a mystery to her. And, at this point, she couldn't even be sure he was who he claimed to be without the Moon goddess there to vouch for him?

"Yes," was his instant reply.

That took Penn by surprise. Was the Moon goddess okay with this? Penn closed her eyes and envisioned the goddess in all her splendour. She hoped to connect with her for just a moment there in the shrine. Maybe the goddess could direct her - help her decided what was best for everyone. But, nothing came of her attempts. The goddess did not appear nor whisper in her ear. Just as uncertain as ever, Penn opened her eyes again.

"What will it be Langling?" Siming asked impatiently.

"How much time do I have to decide?" was her next question. 

Was this something she could do after she returned to the pups and hunted down Codax? Is it something she could talk over with the elders to get their perspective after having spent a little time with the Moon goddess themselves?

"You must tell me now," he told her resolutely.

"Impossible," she blurted with a little laugh of disbelief. "I can't possibly know which is the right path for me without more information. You are expecting me to just take you at your word. But, I don't know who I was or what my family was like in my past life. You could be asking me to enter through Hell's gates for all I know about you and them."

"Present life," he corrected her. "This mortal life is just an unexpected rest stop along your immortal journey. This life you live here in the mortal world is not your reality. It is a mortal trial," he further explained.

"The goddess' trial,"  Penn whispered to herself. Her eyes went wide with dawning understanding. Was this mortal trial meant for the goddess? Was she the one who was suppose to be here struggling as an outcast wolf in the mortal world?

Penn pinned the Master of Fate with an incredulous look and demanded to know, "Did you screw up?"

She was sure she'd heard the elders say that the goddess had gone through a heavenly trial and something went amiss. The goddess and the Soul Star were separated and that's why Penn had to remember her former self - the self before the calamity that separated her from the goddess.

"There was some unforeseen interference," he offered but said no more.

"Unforeseen for the Master of Fate?" Penn reproached. "Or did you just turn a blind eye?" she asked with unveiled resentment.

It wasn't that she suddenly felt bitter over the loss of some immortal life she may have had before this mortal one. Or that she resented him or the goddess because she was suffering through this life when it wasn't her trail to begin with. However, she'd seen plenty of wolves in positions of authority, like her alpha and her own parents, turn a blind eye to the mistreatment she received while growing up in the pack. Those little injustices really burned her up even now. And to think, some god in the heavens, who was suppose to oversee these heavenly trials, had wilfully failed at his job. Well, the very idea had her hackles up.

"The culprit will be punished in accordance with the heavenly laws regulating the six realms," he told her blandly as if this was standard procedure and not something worth dwelling on. "Will you remain in the mortal realm or drink Yiwang - Oblivion?" he asked again.

"Are you offering me these options as a way to correct fate? To make up for the mishap in the goddess' trail?" Penn persisted. She wanted to get as full a picture as possible before she decided anything at all.

"Yes," came his swift and slightly defensive response.

He was there to make things right, then? He wasn't trying to screw her or the Moon goddess over somehow? 

"What happens to the Moon goddess if I chose to drink this Oblivion?" Penn wondered aloud. Would the goddess have to suffer a fate like Penn's? Would she have to come and live a miserable life in the mortal world? Penn felt sick at the thought. 

"Nothing," he replied quickly. "Though she did not experience a mortal trail as anticipated, it was judged that her suffering has far exceeded what she would have experienced in the mortal realm. She will not be tried again. She will ascend and become a High God," he further expounded with just a breath of sympathy in his voice.

"So my decision will not have a negative impact on her one way or the other?" Penn asked for confirmation.

"Correct," he replied.

Feeling relieved, Penn once again returned to her options - stay in the mortal realm or forget her life here and return to her old life - her immortal life. "Show me this family you say is waiting for me," Penn insisted. "How do I know they even exist or are the least bit interested in being reunited with me?" she pointed out.

The truth was, her life had been miserable from nearly start to finish. She had little she would want to remember from this life. And, if he'd come with this offer before she met the pups, she would have jumped at it. But, the last six months had changed everything. The pups had changed everything. 

Penn was no longer an outcast. She wasn't alone anymore. She had wolves who loved her and treated her with kindness and respect. She felt welcome and accepted in the Orthos pack and it was a good feeling. One she wanted to build on. She wanted to be with them. To be part of the pack the rest of her days. So, the Master of Fate would have to provide a very compelling alternative to change her mind now. Though, she wasn't sure which way he was leaning. He didn't seem to care what path she chose so long as she made a choice and soon.

Without a word, Siming swept his left arm to one side. In that instant they were gone from the cave and floating in space, surrounded by galaxies full of gleaming stars, varied planets, and large brightly coloured gas bodies. Penn took in a sharp breath. The sight was so dazzling that it brought tears of wonder and joy to her eyes.

Next they were swept into the nearest cluster stars and there Penn witnessed living stars walking about. There were men, women and children. Each had glowing faces of light that shone in every direction, they were dressed in elegant robes covered in shimmering stardust, and they were laughing and smiling happily with one another. Love emanated from their every interaction, every smile and touch. It was the most touching thing Penn had ever witnessed. She felt moved from deep in her heart.

She and the Master of Fate came and went from one cluster of stars to another. The Star Clan was as vast as the universe itself and there seemed to be no end to their incandescence and their warmth for each other.  Though she had always thought of space as a cold, dark, and lonely place, much like her life in the wild, here she saw nothing but brilliance and affection. It made her heart swell with admiration and her eyes overflow with tears. She wiped at them repeatedly not the least bit sure why she started crying or when she'd stop. It was all so overwhelming, but in the loveliest way.

Then the Master of Fate said, "This is what awaits you." 

There was just a touch of gentleness in his voice and it broke Penn. She couldn't explain why or how, but she felt herself crack. When she spontaneously began to sob, she quickly covered her mouth trying to smother the mournful sound. It was like a dam breaking. In the face of such shining affection among the Star Clan, all her sorrow and loneliness came rushing forward and she begged him, "Take me back."

By the time she felt the cold stone of the shrine under her feet, she was a total sobbing mess. She was crying so hard she could hardly catch her breath. She crumpled to the floor and wailed like a broken thing. She continued to do so until she couldn't cry anymore, and then lay exhausted on the cool smooth granite with her eyes shut and one cheek pressed into the unyielding surface.

There in the shrine, she felt the presence of the Moon goddess. It was sweet and familiar. The sorrow and the loneliness in her heart dried up with her tears, and they were replaced by a peaceful calm. The kind only the goddess could bring her. Penn took in a deep breath, held it a moment and then exhaled slowly. As she did she felt restored in mind, body and spirit. It was reassuring to be there, in the shrine.

"Are you still there?" she croaked some time after simply basking in the soothing presence of the goddess.

"I am," Siming replied without a single note of emotion in his voice.

"I choose to stay," she told him while sitting up slowly. 

"I don't understand," he replied with just a wisp of surprise in his voice.

Penn smiled warmly at him and her face shone as bright as the noon day sun. Siming, whose own eyes exuded celestial light, burned from her brightness and he had to momentarily cover his face with his robed arm.

"The Soul Star chooses who it will live with, who it will share its soul power with," Penn recalled quietly. She closed her eyes and felt a wave of tranquility wash over her. "I choose them, outside. I choose to stay with them, care for them, love them, protect them, and grow old with them. Whether I have just one more day with them or 10,000 more days," she confessed with ease.

Rising to her feet, she dusted off her new form and beamed brightly at the Master of Fate.

He made a little bow, hardly discernible, and then declared, "So be it."

In the next instant he was gone and the runes disappeared with him. The shrine was thrown into utter darkness, but Penn was not afraid. For the first time in her life she felt she was in control of her destiny. No alpha, no pack, and no past was defining her or deciding her future for her. She was going to be her own master from here on in no matter what was ahead for her, the pups and the Orthos pack.