Should the Past Die?

[SavoreStone]

The scent of fresh water and abundant prey was tempting for many...And a darkened form paused in the thick underbrush, uncertain. Ears were perked, alert as always, though her size would have deterred many would-be attackers. She was a threatening force to be reckoned with, if her confidence could only match her size. Nevertheless, the she-wolf moved forward slowly. She was thristy, so very thirsty, and the lakes promised cool water and perhaps even some food.

Satisfied at last, the large wolfess moved from her hidden spot among the trees and into the open area. It was quiet, but the birds still sung their spring-time songs and the insects were busy buzzing as well. It was a sound that comforted Niobe as she moved to lap up some water from the biggest lake of all, the Father Lake.

Refreshed, the dark-colored wolf settle back onto her haunches with a wide yawn. She was exhausted. Her traveling had taken her very far from home, and this land was very unfamiliar, but it lacked the smell of her greatest fear: wolves. Stupid, really, for her to fear her own kind. But other than her mother, she lacked all experience with the canines. She had more experience with the humans! A silent, mocking laugh followed her own train of thought. Humans, Niobe thought. How she laothed the humans. Or did she? Her humans had always cared for her...until...

Until they killed Father! Niobe scowled and paced a few steps down the lakeshore, startling up a pair of nesting birds. Her ears flicked back as feathers went everywhere...the birds reminded her of her own hunger, and the nest filled with eggs on the ground were very tempting. And Niobe could not resist. Large jaws sank into eggshells and a long tongue began lapping up the yolks.

[SavoreStone]

Yellow yoke dripped from Niobe's dark muzzle as she sat back on her haunches, her meal completed. But her hunger was not gone. A few eggs did very little to satisfy the three-year old she-wolf. What would her mother have done? Mother... Niobe shook her head to clear her thoughts, her nose to the wind that passed by.

Many scents filled her nostrils. Many prey animals lurked nearby, in hiding from the overly-large wolfess. Birds, small mammals, and even a few deer. Niobe's stomach growled again and the large striped female sighed deeply. Being large was nice, but she had recieved many kicks from an angry lone deer when she tried hunting the large animals before. The tasty meat of the younger fawns lingered in her mind and Niobe licked her muzzle. It had been a while, but new fawns should be showing up soon. Alone, with some cunning, Nio could surely grab one of those tasty deer. And with some luck. Yes, some luck.

I would not need luck if I wasn't alone... She spoke softly to herself, feeling the pressing lonliness all around her. She missed her mother...and even her father. She missed having company. Wandering all alone was taking it toll on the lone wolfess. But what good would it do? She didn't even know where to look, or if anyone would care enough to find her. And what if they did? What if they hated her, drove her away?

There were too many doubts on Niobe's mind and her stomach was too empty. Laying down in the tall grass, Nio set her head down, wallowing in her emptiness.

[Blahwolf]

A lone, angry wolf trudged his way through the trees, his brow furrowed, the hair on the back of his neck standing straight on end. After nearly drowning, he felt as if he had every right to be angry. As a matter of fact, he told himself, he belonged on his own. He was sick of others' company, and if having friends meant that you had to risk death by swimming in the sea, he'd rather die alone. He continued to repeat that thought over and over in his head until he was satisfied. However, nearly all of those angry feelings left his mind as Cypress approached Deepwater Lakes, one of his favorite resting spots. He wasn't going to return to the Great Forest, not now anyway--right now he wanted to get as far away from the world as possible.

Making sure he was a good distance away from the Lakes themselves (for he certainly didn't want another 'accident'), he let out a deep, weary sigh, and let his sore body collapse on to the grass. His breathing was heavy and raspy, his throat still sore from swallowing salt water. His paws were raw and bloody from scraping at sand and from walking the long distance from the beach to the Lakes, and he had an irritating headache. He didn't get his peace for very long, and his ears pricked at the sound of an odd crackling sound coming from but a short distance away. What now? Cypress thought with a snarl. "Keep quiet!" he yelled into the air, wincing in pain as the strain of his voice stung his already-sore throat. He didn't know who or what he was screaming to, but it didn't matter. By the gods, he just wanted some peace and quiet!

[SavoreStone]

Niobe nearly jumped two feet in the air as her fur stood out on end as she heard the shout. She gave a yelp and scrambled to her feet, darting away from the water and into the nearby underbrush. She wasn't sure who or what made the sound, or where it had come from, but it had sure scared the tail off of her! Her heart pounded in her chest as she caught her breath, her ears tucked back.

After a moment or two, however, Niobe was cursing herself for being so skittish. She had been lost so deeply in her own thoughts. The yell could have been from a squirrel for all she knew! Stupid of herself to get so scared over nothing. The large dark wolf moved from under the bush and shook the excess leaves from her fur. I can be such an idiot... She thought to herself, blowing air from her nose. Still...it didn't hurt to be cautious, right? The yell could have been a squirrel...or it could have been a bear...who knew?

Niobe sniffed the wind and decided to track the source of the cry...her ears twitched as she listened for any other signs, but there was no one near the lake except herself and a few smaller creatures, who were warily avoiding her. Frowning, she began moving away from the water's edge and further into the forest, walking softly, her ears perked as she glanced around.

Little did Niobe realize that as she walked past some trees, she came into view from the strange wolf who was so disgruntled. But the wind was not on her side, so she did not realize her mistake.

[Blahwolf]

Cypress let out a confused grunt as the sound of soft footsteps filled his ears. His eyes widened as they slowly became louder and louder, and nearer and nearer with each passing second. His heart pounded in his chest, his muscles tensed. The last thing he expected was a hunter out here! All sorts of wild thoughts came flooding into his mind, yet his body wouldn't budge, either from fear or weakness. There was no way on earth he could outrun a human, not in this condition. Struggling to stand, Cypress made up his mind; perhaps he could scare the hunter off. Having no real knowledge of humans, perhaps, he figured, his fangs would be enough to send the intruder running. Staggering, he eventually regained his balance and opened his mouth wide, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl, the fur on his neck and tail raised to twice their normal size, his ears flat against his head.

All fear and anger disappeared, however, as he saw the true identity of the approacher--nothing but lone she-wolf. Cypress closed his jaws and lowered his tail. He stood staring at the stranger for a few moments before sighing. "Don't be afraid," he said wearily. "I thought you were a human." His voice had a mixture of both relief and dullness, and though he was thankful she wasn't a hunter or another sort of danger, he wasn't particularly overjoyed at seeing another wolf. Shrugging to himself, his body once again gave out and he fell to the ground with a thud and a deep grunt.

[SavoreStone]

Niobe turned sharply at the sound of the voice, and fear swept through her. Her pale eyes scanned the area, looking for more. She had had nothing but bad luck with other wolves-- they had beaten her and chased her from their lands...would this one be the same? But her fear was followed shortly by anger and she growled lightly, scowling. Afraid? She asked, her ears back. Why should I be afraid? You are a lone wolf, just like me, unless your pack in cleverly hiding. And by the looks of things, you seem rather tired. Niobe wondered to herself what had happened to this male, but she made no further steps closer. She had no desire to get near him, just in case his pack was indeed hiding, out of sight and smell.

But another thing crossed her mind. Humans? Were there humans around this land? Had this other wolf seen them, been near them? Her heart beat a little faster and her tail swished back and forth, a habit she had gained from her mother. She paced a few steps, but the male did not seem friendly. Perhaps she should just go and find a new place to rest. But she was curious, so stayed where she was. If he was disgruntled, she would leave, but she had been alone for so long now that she ached for company.

[Blahwolf]

Raising an eyebrow, Cypress had to keep himself from chuckling. A pack? Him? What a ridiculous thing to say. Lifting himself on his haunches, he stared at the female for a few moments, an expressionless gaze in his eyes. "I have no pack," he said bluntly. He wasn't liking this one's attitude, and his foul mood was only worsening... perhaps, he figured, it would be better to just walk away. Clearing his throat, Cypress stood up on all fours, his legs shaking a bit as he struggled to regain balance. He took a few paces forward, the tendones in his legs aching with each step. Realizing he wasn't about to go anywhere any time soon, he sunk back down on his back legs, panting heavily.

Looking back once again at that strange she-wolf, he let out a deep sigh. "You're still here? I'm obviously not going anywhere. What are you doing here, anyway?" Cypress tried to keep his voice steady, his body aching in all different places. It didn't matter what he thought of her or how he was feeling; he didn't want to give her a bad impression of himself, and so, he thought, it might be best to at least show a little common courtesy, if he could.

[SavoreStone]

Niobe took notice of his condition immediately, and her softer side kicked in. She moved towards him without another thought, her ears low as she smiled uncertainly. Are you okay? You don't appear hurt...no blood...but you smell like the sea...is there anything I can do? Her attitude seemed to have made a complete circle: from defensive and angry to caring and concerned. These mood swings were also from her mother: a mad wolfess who seemed insane and always spoke her mind. Perhaps Niobe had received some of this insanity.

She took a few steps back, tilting her head. The name's Niobe. And I'm here because...I've got no where else to be. What about you? Why are you here? And why don't you have a pack? Niobe was blunt and honest. She always had been, and she wasn't going to beat around the bush about anything. And common courtesys...well, she didn't even know what those were! Niobe was herself, and could be nobody else. And she was curious. This male wolf hadn't chased her away with snarls and teeth, so she wanted to know more about her own kind. At least...half of her own kind.

[Blahwolf]

Cypress shrugged a bit to himself and lowered his head. "Why am I here? For the same reasons you are, I suppose. I have no pack because...because I don't need one." Again Cypress had to question himself if that last statement was true. Just a few moments ago he would have scoffed at the idea of a pack, yet looking at this strange new wolf before him made Cypress reconsider the idea. He was, however, still upset over the sea incident and was in no mood to think about it. He frowned a bit, looking down at his scraped and bloody pawpads. "There's nothing you can do. I just need rest."

He laid back down, more comfortable this time, with one paw curled under his chest. He wasn't sure if he should ask her to rest too, or if he should just remain quiet--he was a bit new to this whole 'kindness' thing. "Um, feel free to rest here, if you want." He stiffened at the awkwardness of saying such a thing, but tried not to show it. Pausing a few seconds, he added, "My name's Cypress."

[SavoreStone]

Niobe was delighted at the invitation and her tail wagged with an earnest excitement. She settled down near Cypress-- not too close, but not too far away. She had never had a real conversation with a wolf, especially a male! She smiled warmly, her ears perked as she watched him. Uh...if you don't mind me asking...what happened? Why do you smell like the sea? Her boldness settled back for now, but it would return shortly, no worries. Her mind was sharp, but her thought pattern allowed little time for her to consider her words before she spoke. She usually just blurted out whatever she was thinking.

Oh...and why don't you want a pack? I mean, I can see some perks to being alone...the peace and quiet, being able to go where you want...but don't you miss the conversations? The contact...? How long have you been on your own, anyways? There was that bluntness again. She lay her head down on her front paws, watching him with her strange pale eyes.

[Blahwolf]

Making a slight sideways glance at his new companion, Cypress let another grumbled sigh escape from his mouth. "I need to get this stench off me. It was an accident, really." He said it more to himself than to her, his unwavering eyes staring ahead as more thoughts flooded into his mind. His stare was broken as a few nosey flies buzzed around his head, which caused him to make several fruitless attempts to shake them off.

"You sure ask a lot of questions. I don't miss anything, since contact with others seems to only end up in disaster, at least for me." Cypress looked over at her again, a little longer this time. "Though maybe it's not the same for you. Enough about me, I want to know why you're out alone. Don't you have a pack either? I hope you're aware that humans come out here."

Cypress felt a bit surprised that he was carrying on such a conversation with a total stranger, yet decided to stay quiet. He mulled over the fact that he was informing her about the dangers of living alone, when he himself was placed in the exact same danger. The idea of a pack was suddenly becoming more and more appealing, though he wouldn't admit it.

[SavoreStone]

I've been told that before....that I ask a lot of questions. But how else am I supposed to learn? Observing only allows for so much, you know... She smiled warmly at Cypress, her tail wagging a little as she lifted her head. But my reasons for being here are the same. I have no pack. Not because I don't want one, but because I haven't been able to find one that wants me. Apparently I'm undesirable! Niobe laughed at that, a sweet laugh though it contained a bit of sadness.

Her ears twitched at the human part and she glanced towards him, a strange look crossing her features. But in a moment, it was gone. Humans? Well...ah...humans... She was seeking a way to show her feelings about humans...when really, she didn't know what those were. Well, uh...hopefully they won't come by? She finally offered, uncertainly. Her ears lay back as she heaved a sigh, settling her head back down once more.

[Blahwolf]

Cypress nodded slowly, mentally agreeing with Niobe. "It's the same with me, I guess. I haven't met many wolves myself, mostly loners like you." He caught a quick glimpse of her strange expression at his mention of humans, which worried him. Was she aware of their danger? Perhaps he should try to subtly warn her, it might not hurt. "I haven't seen them myself, but I've heard stories. They don't usually come out this far. Some aren't a threat, but others can be more deadly. Just watch yourself when you're out in the open."

Cypress studied Niobe a little more carefully now, any angry features on his face now replaced with question and worry, and he gave her a look as if to suggest, "I hope you're fine with this subject." Any talk of humans tended to give him a slight sickening feeling, and he didn't want to worry her as well.

[SavoreStone]

Niobe blinked, startled by his expression, and she felt a little shy and unsure. She met his eyes, briefly, then glanced away, uncertain. Finally, she looked back at him and gave a weak smile. Yes...I know how humans can be...my father was killed by them...while I watched. It was...horrible... She trailed off, shuddering.

Her head lowered as she remembered that day, sadness engulfing her, but she shook it off to gaze at Cypress again. Have you...had any personal encounters with humans, Cypress?

[Blahwolf]

Turning to stare down at his paws again, Cypress shook his head, thinking to himself how thankful he was that he didn't have any encounters with man. "No, I haven't. You'll be safe if you keep clear of their territory, and they generally stay out of these parts."

Cypress was starting to get more and more uncomfortable with their conversation, and he didn't want to bring back any more painful memories. Clearing the lump in his throat, he quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, how long are you planning to stay here? I don't mind really, it's nice to have some company that doesn't try to drown you."