Remembrance

[Milo]

The Clearing was peaceful at this time of the year, abundant of food and water. Even now, two doe grazed side by side while their fawns, a buck and doe, were galloping across the grass as one tumbled the other circled 'round to make sure the other was okay. Off to the distance an older buck, with a majestic rack, stood guard over his does and fawns. The prince of the forest, like in Bambi?

The leaves swayed in the light breeze, their leaves rustling every time they would touch each other, like soft giggles. A small birds nest was high in the branches of a red wood tree, the tweets of young birds as they called for their mother or father. A cardinal swooped down into the next and the chicks hollered for whatever prize their parent held for them, nut the cardinal had no food, the parent scooted each bird gently from the nest into the air. The chicks spread their wings as they fell, their horrifying cries filling each animals ears. Then a miracle of nature happened, each bird spread his/her wings and the wind picked them into the air, they gave an unsteady flap and then the wind let them go, all flapped and yelled in joy, their parent flew beside them adjusting them every now and again, then flying back to the nest, baby birds in pursuit.

Aro smiled at the chicks as they learned to fly. Even when he was sure their doom was coming. The ember eyes watched every movement of the youngsters. How Aro wanted that again, his past was running through his mind like a waterfall now, even as he watched the fawns frolick in the clearing. A small pained tear flowed down his cheek, the black fur catching it where it fell. Slowly his mind set back in time, reliving Altai.

Humans. Their scent ran through his nose quickly, then the alarm set. Deer fled the wood, bird took heed, quickly setting themselves firmly in the thick branches. The wolves around him set themselves, Cornered against the cave walls they had rested at, all ready on the run from civilization. Altai watched in horror as a doe ran through the stampeding herd to save her fawn, she fell five paces from the yearling, he chest bled with the intense heat of lead stinging her body. Dead where she lay, Altai cried. His pack would be destroyed, men with guns coming to wipe them out.

Altai barked an order, every wolf lowered it’s head, his mate stepped at his side and licked his cheek, firm but afraid. The two pups Altai had watched from birth, the ones who shared his own blood and had survived the drought of the summer, his two boys. Stood side by side their faces sharing the same snarl as Altai wore. The first pack of dogs came, their floppy skin and wrinkles barked, then their high pitch scream threw tremors into the surrounding forest as to male wolves, side by side took them down. His two boys. Altai cried, this was it, their last stand.

Another pack of dogs emerged after the first lay slaughtered, but these were fighting dogs, their bulk and thick muscle showed. Altai sent his boys and a few other aggressive fighters, the dogs lay dead in moments, Altai’s boy, Ginant, lay frozen in a snarl of fury. Blood seeped from a wound in his neck, a dog lay next to him, murdered by the dead wolfs brother. Altai let his tears flood like rain.

Men came around the corner, their loud machines deafening the wolves, cries let loose all around him. Then silence.

Bullets rained down on the wolves, cries of mercy surrounded Altai. Then a scream, the closest yet sounded. Majuro fell his whines of pain flood Altai’s ears. Altai licked his wound, then another cry filled his ears. His mate fell dead where she stood. A bullet hole in between her eyes.

It’s one thing to die, but it’s another to watch your family slowly die, hearing their cries of mercy and pain, and knowing you can’t do a damn thing to help them. Death is the only cure for that kind of guilt.

A cry, the loudest, closest he had ever heard filled his ears, inside and out. A pain flooded his thoughts, something oozed from his chest, it pinched and stung. Like something he had never felt before. He realized, the screams had come from his own mouth, fear ran through him. His breathing stuttered and his heart pulsed uneven. Altai cried a warm froth leaving his mouth as he strained to stand, a glimpse and he fell. His last thoughts of his pain, the agony. He wanted to die, but he didn’t.

Altai had woken the next day, his family slaughtered around him, some of their carcasses had been butchered for their pelts. His had been to ragged at the time, his shed hair had always fallen late, and it saved him this time, but something changed. Altai had died. A new wolf was standing in his place. The Altai that had seen the battle between the humans and wolves, died in mind, Aro stood in his place. Altai had only died in mind though, his body still lived. Only Aro controlled it now.

Same wolf in body, in mind two opposite beings.

Aro came from his Remembrance on the ground. The deer had scattered and the birds no longer flew above him. His throat ached, he had relived the battle in his mind and his body had followed. Every scream for mercy every tear fallen, had happened in mind and body.

He felt the weight of his soaked cheeks and looked at his paws. Full of dirt. Another tear fell, immediately blending with the dirt on the ground. Aro fell to earth, his weeping over whelming his pride and reputation. Aro broke down for the world to see. Tears soaked his fur and he lay shivering in a cold mess of sad. The trees even stopped swaying to watch the marvel Aro showed unfold. No animal had seen a wolf break down before. Kings and Queens under the moon, the cowered in complete fear of the animals, but deer approached Aro the fawns touched noses with his warm fur then scampered off behind their mothers. Soon the bucks herded their does and headed off for the day.

Aro lay battered from himself.

He stood, his legs trembling. Shacking himself off he lowered his head and gave a mournful howl, the howl shivered through the trees, Carried into the hearts of ever wolf close enough to here. The same sad howl he gave when he could see death in the pit. Aro stood, his pride regained in broken arms.

He moved on, his past covered, the dust already settling on the memories of pain, hurt, agony. Altai was stored in the back parts of Aro’s mind and never to be touched again. A new memory came to the lone wolf. It was a rouge female. Katelyn. A glance around the forest and Aro lowered his head, uninterested in the female no longer.

Slowly Aro moved his legs through the grass into a small clover patch to lay and rest. To recover his strength for the night, he would hunt again tonight, to help heal his broken wounds. The spot in his chest started to burn again, the place that still held the lead used to kill his sons and mate, the lead used to kill his pack still burned within him. The bullet lay at rest under the skin of his chest, but a new wound worried Aro, the one in his neck, the wound that was throbbing and making his vision pulse. Aro lay wordless, watching the life unfold before him

Does laid in the soft spring grass, yearlings practiced skills they would need for the rest of their lives. Birds hummed a sad song for Aro and the trees regained their tempo of rustling giggles. The forest picked back up where it had left off, Aro laid to watch it do so. Tears out of mind, cries stored for another time, and the image of a lone grey timber wolf flooded his thoughts. Aro lay down his head, ember eyes gazing over the peaceful clearing around him, soon both embers burned away to a black sheet, Aro dreamt, his smooth breathes filling the forest with a new sound to take in.

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn continued to lay in the lonesome field, nawing on clover out of bordum. She tilted her head to see if her ears were decieving herself. She lifted her head up to the sky and listened. A wolf. A howl of a heart broken wolf is what Katelyn thought of it as. She knew a howl like that. She heard many of them the day she and her two brothers ran from home on the alphas', her parents, orders.

Together, Katelyn and her brothers, they fled to the hills, and that's where they found shelter. Katelyn was blamed by her oldest brother saying that it was her fault the white people, whom called themselves 'humans', showed up. He said that they followed her form the city and that's exactly why she wasnt suposed to be down there. He attacked her and almost killed her, he would have, had her other brother not stepped in. Her older brother, but still second born, rammed the eldest right before he was aobut to take Katelyn's life.
He rammed him and they both fell from the cliff they fought on, the battleground they turned the cliff into, both lost forever.

Katelyn blinked, shaking the memory out of her mind. With a low whime, she got up and started walking towards tee direction she hear the wolf's howl in. She stopped at a very small clearing where she saw the body of a wolf. She kicked a pebble towards the wolf as it hit his paws. She recognised the wolf. "Small world, eh?' She asked the familiar wolf. It was Aro.

[Milo]

Flames burned again, both ember eyes caugh light as he looked at the wolf. Woken from his sleep. Hello stranger Aro looked up, the glare from the sun causing him to squint at the wolf, who seemed to almost tower over him the way the sun cast it’s rays on her. He grinned, enough to show her he was smiling.

Both wet patches from when he cried had dried, making his fur slightly oily, he’d wash it later. How come you came snooping ‘round? instantly seeing here made him cheerful. Not the norm for a wolf who relies on grouchiness and stubborn will to pull him through another day unscathed.

Aro stood to his full height, the suns relenting rays making his eyes an extraordinary amber color that seemed to glow with each blink Aro gave. He had always been proud of the color his eyes were, he managed to show them off to, each expression given always made his eyes… pop. The water was to kind to this old wolf…

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn smiled and looked to the ground then back up to the wolf a few seconds later. "No reason, what are you doing way out here?" She asked him, curiousity twinklin in her dazzling eyes. Her eyes were dark, with black rings around them. They weren't your usualy wolf eyes, but that's what you get when you're a purebred. You never know what you'll inherit.

Katelyn looked at the wolf, eyes still twinkling. A flash of pain shot through her eyes, and she hoped the other wolf could not tell. Her back leg was started to hurt again. Like it always did after a long day of running. She finally sat down, carefully avoiding her back paw that had the scar that ran all the way down from her flank to her paw pad. Carefully making sure the wolf did not sense she was in pain; it only led to more questions.

[Milo]

Aro smiled and looked about the small clearing. Blinking as he took everything in. Nothing really. I was looking to see if the pack was around. Being rouge is getting old fast, i mean im getting my butt whooped every other day Aro grinned sarcastically. Acually he hadn't really lost a fight in his life, last night was a stroke of bad luck.

In the distance, the does were coming back, aro grinned. Two fawns galloped and raced back and forth in front of their mothers. They paused when they saw Aro, and another wolf. The does flicked their tail and turned to run.

Aro flicked both ears forward and raised his head, ahh he;d never see them again and it was getting late, he wasn't about to break his streak of killing small every night, small snackes taste better then large meals.

In a flash of darkness Aro shot forward, his curled legs unravling and takiong action in a second. He raced after the deer. His heart pupming faster and faster as he got closer.

A sharp pain made Aro collapse. The 'bambi' deer had come out of no where and charged Aro. Horns hit his side and lifted him slightly, a sharp squel erupted from Aro's lungs when the deer reared to strike Aro in the head. Jeez, nothing went right anymore. He hadn't ever seen a black cat before, or a ladder. Why all the bad luck?

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn sniffed the air then trotted towards Aro and watched him get hit by horns. As soon as she saw the animal charge towards Aro, she shot from where she stood.

She made it there and walked up, limping, towards Aro. A small whine escaped her maw, but too low for nyone but her to hear. "Aro?" She asked him. "You okay?" She walked over to him and stopped, towering above him. "That was one hell of a bloody knock down," She commented, running afte rhte deer and scaring it off.

[Milo]

A small patch of tissue stood out, the antlers of the deer had punctured his chest and ribs, but nothing that wouldn't heal in a day or so, enough to run and hunt again. Aro hadn't moved since the collision, his body was shocked and had shut down for the brief attack.

Coughing Aro came back, pain jolted him as he tried to stand, making him fall back down. Hell, I've never taken a hit that hard both ember eyes gave off the pain he was in, but he held his voice steady. Even as the pain shocked through him like an electrical current. A soft steady whine escaped his maw as he tried to stand, unable to do so.

The sore, and drained black timber wolf layed on his side, head rested on his cheek in the soft grass of the clearing, blood oozing from the puncture wounds in his side facing up. Aro could feel where the wounds were, even without looking at them. He knew the one in his chest was close to where the bullet was, the second he thought of the bullet it burned like a wildfire inside him. He whined and cringed, nostrils dialating along with his pupils. The soft ember gaze was slowly swallowed by an eclipse of black.

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn looked down to the ground. "I have," She mumbled, barely speaking, but it was eassy to make out waht she said. She in fact had gotten hit that hard. From her brother. She was also puched down a waterfall when they were kids with a hit like that.

"You okay?" She asked him, knowing he probably wasn't, but asked anyways. "Can you move?" She asked after a coupld seconds of silence had passed. She sat in the grass and looked at the wolf, half worried and half scared.

[Milo]

Aro shook his head trying to clear the urge to sleep. His ember eyes had the starting of tears as he took in the pain he was in, now that the adrenaline had worn off. He gasped as the pain flared, then melted away for a second and flared again.

The buck and his herd stood on the edge of the woods, where young were resting covered by thick grass. Aro growled, he knew the bucks scent, the animal would die next time, he wouldn't be playing next time. The growl made his body shudder, and pain flared intensly as he whined.

The words of the other wolf broke through to his ears after a few seconds of silence, Hell no I'm not okay, pup. He looked at her, his pupils covering the ember gaze, a faint ring of gold shown on the very rim of the black abyss. Hate, Fear, and Rage mixed in it's depths, One could get lost in it, or ignore it. For it was Aro...

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn looked at the otheer wolf with a murderous glare. "Hadn't we already had that conversation about calling me pup? I have a name: Katelyn." She said, her arrogant side showing now.

Katelyn looked at the other wolf and then sighed. "Well, I can't leave you here. I wouldn't feel guilty or anything, but I don't want another animal meeting you. I fear that would be just another person that would hate you." She said, starting to pace and think.

[Milo]

Ah Hell, let 'em hate me. Run along pup. I'll be fine, I'm not blind, deaf, and dumb anymore. Aro growled, his shield coming over him again, he wouldn't let his heart over take his mind again. Even if this wolf was diffrent.

Aro sucked his pain in, and let his rage rolled off of him in waves, His paws pushed against the ground and he stood, his head raised proudly, even as tears welled in his eyes from the pain he held. Both nostrils and pupils dialated, he took a deep breatha nd let it rush out in a fast gush. I'm fine, let me be. His cold stance and ridged movement made him seem deadly, but if you saw his eyes you'd know he wasn't about to move, let alone attack. The second this wolf left, he knew he'd collapse and lay in the middle of the field until he healed enough to drag himself away from the bloody place he had lain.

[Wolf_Legend]

Katelyn chuckled. "Well, if you insist, but you know you need me to get to somewhere safe before dark and a giant earthworm comes to eat you..." Katelyn smiled wryly, the way she always did when she exageratted.

She looked at hte wolf, her eyes sparkling. "So, it looks like you have no option ut to trust me, unless you want to be turned to worm-food?" Katelyn said, her eyes still having a sarcastic twinkle dancing about them, but it was easy for you to be fooled by her, so if I were you, I'd choose my words and decisions carefully.