To Wyvern's surprise, when she reached the river's edge, she found three creatures standing not in the river but on its glossy black surface. The first had the head of a raven and the body of a Coyote female, though covered with black bloodstained feathers and wearing heavy plate armor (not common among a race which favored leather). Her solid black eyes reflected no light as she stared hard at the Coyote child. In one clawed hand she held a huge wheel with eight spokes radiating from it. Wyvern recognized it as the Chaos Star, symbol of disorder and confusion. The second creature, as tall as the first, but with the head and body of a Coyote female, was pale and willowy. She was nearly bald but for a few stark strands of black hair and her eyes were popped out of her head. Gaunt though she was, her long arms and legs were knotted with tight muscles. As she stood there naked, Wyvern could clearly see the many tattoos that covered her body - depictions of the many frightening forms the creature could take.

The third creature was the most terrible to behold, perhaps because she was the most beautiful. A female Coyote warrior dressed in full leather armor smeared with bright red blood. Even her beautiful face was smeared with red. Her eyes, like burning coals, settled on Wyvern.

After a breathless moment, all three creatures spoke, though their voices came as one beautiful sound, "Hail! Captain of the Southern Gate!"

Awed by the sight, Wyvern found her voice and replied, "I beg pardon, my Ladies, but that is not yet my rank."

Though speaking bravely, the child could not help but shiver in fear before this divine avatar.

"Oh but it is. Do you not wear the Wand of Fire, charging you as Guardian of the Southern Gate?"

"Yes, but I am not yet old enough to..."

"Age is insignificant to me."

"I know who you are," Wyvern whispered as a new confidence took hold of her in her realization and the three creatures waited for her to continue. She turned to the first, the one who held the Chaos Star, "You are Badb Catha, the Battle Crow. She who brings fury and confusion to combat. You," she said continuing to the next, "Are Nemain, She who brings fear and frenzy to the battlefield. And you, you are Macha, She who is the very gore of slaughter."

"You fear us not." It was more of a statement than a question.

The young female shook her head and replied, "You are but three faces of The Morrigan, Chooser of the Slain. She who selects souls, severs them from the body and guides them into the WesternLands. The Morrigan is but an aspect Herself of Anu, the Earth Mother. And I? I have nothing to fear from the Creatrix, least of all The Morrigan."

The three creatures looked at her curiously, and Wyvern explained, "You exalt in the battle frenzy, chaos and gore of carnage and I stand on no battlefield."

Confident in her position, the child stood before the Morrigan without fear. However, she could not help but be gripped with curiosity - why had the Goddess come to her at all?

The three creatures said nothing, but glided together until all were back to back. Then an iridescent light outlined them and they seemed to melt into one. The brightness hurt Wyvern's eyes and she turned away.

In a moment, it was over, and when she looked back she found herself standing before The Morrigan, a powerful looking female warrior dressed in leather armor. Her leather bracers were decorated in the traditional Coyote fashion, with silvery designs of steel that were in fact raised blades. A sword was strapped across Her back and from Her wide leather belt hung a whip knife - two heavy lead balls covered in serrated spikes and connected by a barbed tether. In one hand, She carried a spear and in Her other She carried a small scythe, symbol of Her place as harvester of the fallen.

The Morrigan looked at Wyvern with deep blue eyes, and spoke, Her voice sounding like three horrid voices speaking at once, "You are brave, young Coyote, and well schooled - but wrong. For you do stand upon a field of battle, which is why I come to you now. To foretell your death."

Surprised, Wyvern could not speak, but continued to stare in wide-eyed awe.

"Fear Me not, Wyvern Daughter of Roramin, Daughter of GreyWolf, Daughter of Dragons, for as I tell you this night you will die, I bid you to flee. It is not yet time for you to return to the Cauldron, you have many, many years to go. But! If you remain here, you will surely die"

At that moment, such a flurry of shouts erupted about her, that Wyvern was forced to tear her eyes from the Goddess standing on the river. It was then that she realized that the music and laughter had stopped and the sounds battle being waged rang clear from up the trail. As she listened to the angry shouts and the screams of the dying, the young Coyote found she could not move.

The Morrigan called to her softly in Her echoed voice, "Wyvern." When she did not respond, She called again, more powerfully, "Wyvern!" Finally, the child turned to face the Goddess, "Flee to the East and the pack Serenth. There you will find Storm, born of the alpha of Roramin and acolyte to the Captain of the Eastern Gate. Strong is he, this son of Serenth. Seek him out, Daughter of GreyWolf, or die where you stand this night."

Wyvern looked over her shoulder once more up the trail.

"Do not worry about your father, for his path lies different from your own. You cannot change his, but you can change your own. It is not yet your time to defend TerraNor. But hold faith, my child, for soon it will be. Worse times are yet to come, and you must be alive...and ready to answer your people's plea in TerraNor's darkest hour."