I'm going to stop with the bolded introductions, too. Enjoy the story.

BY THE MOONLIGHT

In the careening, tranquilizing blue of the sky, a bright white disc hung, a resplendent full moon accompanying the scattered twinkling stars. Downy traces of violet-gray cloud diminshed its smooth surface, nebulous among the illuminations, but still enough to be acknowledged. Beyond the leafy stretch of the trees, wielding spidery branches, a structure of thick silver stone reached up into the everlasting azure, its soft, etched gray deep and solid against the eventide cerulean-the Howling Rock. It was the Moonlight Howl, and both packs-the Eastern and the Western, now united-had gathered, for their monthly pairing of wolves. Delicate song flowed through the air, each one seperate, until they found another-one that matched, heart among heart, howl among howl-so that the two wolves, owning the songs, would finally know. They would just know, in the harmonious melodies, that they had found their match.

A slender auburn figure slipped into the milky bask of the moonlight, her fur radiating in its hoary luminosity. Tucked in cleanly next to her right ear was a broad-petaled oleander blossom, the signature flower she wore to every Moonlight Howl occasion. Behind her, a snow-white wolf with a plumy tail had a violet lily snugly next to her ear, matching her eyes.

Kate turned and smiled at her sister, whose face, once concealed and obscured in a wing of bright fur, was now exposed, her thickly-eyelashed eyes showing.

She eyed the lily and beamed. "Very clever," she said. "Wearing your own name to a Moonlight Howl. Though it does go well with the color of your eyes."

Lilly puffed a stray lock of her bangs and blinked. "I could've worn an iris, or a bluebell. That would make me look less self-centered, if that's what it makes me look like..."

Kate laughed, shaking her head. "No, it's great, really. You look..." She examined her sister, bang-less, white-furred, blending in with the moonlight. "...Beautiful."

Lilly cocked her head. "D'you really think so? Everybody's always saying how you're so pretty, Kate. I don't know about me. I'm still just an Omega, even if I did unite the packs by being with Garth..."

"Big favor you did me," Kate chortled, butting in. "Not only just falling in love with him. You fixed his howl, too. It used to be pretty pitiful."

Lilly blinked, her face blank, then giggled. "Yeah. I feel sorry for the birds."

Behind them, a voice called out. "Daughters! Kate and Lilly! Come here! Want to wish you good luck!" Their mother Eve, the tufts of fur on her head smoothed back sleekly, beckoned them into the den. "I've got a surprise. I managed to snag some rabbits from the meadow. Wouldn't want your stomach growling the whole time through your big night."

The two sisters, Alpha and Omega, hurried into the den, tails wagging. "Mother...you didn't! Rabbits are hard to catch. Too fast."

Eve nodded pridefully, watching her daughters snap up the meat. "Well, I did it, somehow." Then, her eyes narrowed, and she leaned in closely. "Remember, though, if any of those wolves get scandalous...I'll rip their ears off and shove them down their throat so they can hear their terrible screams as I tear their bloody carcass apart!"

"Mom!" Kate said, her voice rising. "You're overreacting. No one would dare mess with this Alpha wolf." She bared her teeth, a growl rumbling low in her throat.

Eve smiled, the hostile grimace on her face now a saccharine smile. "That's my sweetie," she said, and licked them both on the head. "Now...go knock 'em out! And, if any of those male wolves gang up on you, I mean that literally..."

A furry-headed male limped onto the dusty-flat rock, eyes dim. "Eve, let them go. It's a celebration for young wolves. I'm sure they'll protect each other."

Eve turned and nuzzled her mate. "Alright, Winston, I get it. But you can never be too overprotective of your cubs, remember..."

Kate rolled her eyes as she padded away, Lilly trotting eagerly behind. "I hope we get the top platform this time. I've never gotten to howl at the top platform, unless I was alone." The petals of the lily in her fur bobbed gently. "Garth was right. It's much easier to hunt without my fur in my eyes."

Streaks of moonlight bore down on them as they clambered up the hill, stepping across the spongy grass. Winter was just beginning, and crackles of frost glazed the grass, bits of sparkling ice against fronds of curvy green. A single, solitary tree marred the dirt path they walked on, dark and plastered in creviced bark. The leaves were still waxy, despite winter's harsh cold bite on the plants, and they were fragile in the lukewarm breeze.

The two walked with cautious pawsteps, weaving around the studs of gravel buried in the path, approaching the crag that jutted just under the round, full moon. Couples sang sweetly into the air, the song floating tunefully in the wind. But nobody was at the top yet, no fleeting of dancing and howling at the peak. The only vistor was the moon, circular and vivid, spilling sallow exuberance on the stony floor. In the very center, two thick-pelted she-wolves circled slowly around, sporting daisy necklaces, lining five wolves-one small and black-faced, one ribby and long-snouted, one chubby-cheeked and plump, one a chalky ginger with emerald-green eyes, and one thin and proud with a ruffled collar of fur puffing out from his neck.

"Looks like Garth and Humphrey to me," Kate said, flicking her hair back. She glanced at Lilly, who was distracted by the moon's flooding glow, and bolted off. "Last one there gets the bottom platform!"

Lilly snapped back to reality and followed pursuit, frantically trying to keep her lily in place. "Wait, Kate, no fair! I wasn't paying attention!"

Kate chuckled and made a volatile leap onto the boulders, somersaulting gracefully into the air. She landing straight on the middle platform, where Janice and Reba stopped waltzing and gazed at her, their toothy mouths rich with bitterberry.

Humphrey and Garth spotted her and Lilly, who was bounding up the rocks, and slunk away from the pile.

"Finally, you two get here," Humphrey said, joining Kate's side. "I've been anxiously waiting. Remember, we have a whole evening dedicated to our song." He began howling, demonstrating.

Kate joined in, forgetting momentarily about the debate for the top platform. Garth touched noses with Lily, affectionately licking her ear, then smoothed her hair farther up her forehead, relocating her lily flower.

"You're meant to wear that," he said, examining its soft, almost powdery petals. "Your name is a flower, after all." He glanced at Humphrey and Kate, who continued in their duet. "You know, guys...that's really good."

They stopped, beaming at him. Humphrey puffed out his chest proudly, putting his paw on his chest fur. "Thanks, Garth. It'll sound even better catching the air on the top platform."

Lilly blinked, looking hurt. "I thought you said we could have it this time. It's only fair, since you two had it last."

Kate furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, I guess so...but I still want to practice. It sounds good now, but it'll sound better if we do it over and over..."

Lilly grinned. "Our song is so good, it charms bluebirds."

"Uhm, guys?" Humphrey said, staring at the silky moonlight. "I think someone beat us to it."

The three faced the top platform, where a wolf with glossy black fur had stepped up and begun to sing.

Garth squinted. "Who is that? It sure isn't somebody I know."

"I didn't even know we had someone with black fur in our pack," Humphrey said.

Kate's eyes widened. "Wait a second," she said, her voice lowering. "We...we don't have someone with black fur in our pack. That...

That's a lone wolf."