In the centre of the room, Hecate had cleared a space for their circle, nine feet in diameter being a strong, solid base, a good, magical number. Big enough for a dog and a woman in the centre but also not so wide that she would have to move the coffee table out of the room.
As the others took their positions, Hecate sat crosslegged on the floor, and placed the lapis lazuli eye from Qebhet in front of her, using the stone as a symbol of connection to the earth. She knew the others weren't using symbols, but it had felt right, to use this tonight.
And if it felt right, it was right. Like Marcie's presence here. Like the circle had felt right; she'd chosen it because belief tied her so closely to Wiccan traditions these days, and a circle with a representation of each element made her feel stable and strong.
In gatherings with her mortals, they'd call upon the guardians of each direction, each element, to connect them to a higher power. But Hecate, Morgan, Merlin, Freyja - they were the higher powers.
"Kaden," she said, opening her eyes to look at the young dog in Marcie's arms, his head turning to take them all in, ears speaking of apprenhension. "We are all here tonight help you transition into your true form. Your soul knows the shape it belongs in, we are here to bring that shape into being. We will be your guides, we will light the way and call you home, we will guard your path." She raised her hands, and the electric lamps in the room flickered into darkness, the candle in front of her blazing into life.
"Tonight we are the guardians of the North, the South, the East and the West. Tonight I invite Morgan, Merlin and Freyja to cast their magics and guide you home. Kaden," she said, looking at the candlelight flickering in his dark eyes, looking straight at him, with a reassuring smile on her face. "You know you can do this, I believe in you."
And then she tilted her head back, eyes closed, and started chanting her spell in low, musical, Ancient Greek.