I sighed, my soft humming ending with the dreadful sound. I was lonely, I could feel it shake my very soul. My bright eyes set on my own mahogany paws ears folding against my head because there was no reason to pay attention. I didn’t think of the potential preditors or even other wolves that may have my hide for being so young and all alone. I was still small even though I had grown so much in my almost one year of life. At the very least I was comfortable here, my fur thick, allowing me to not be cold. Though I still felt cold, but it wasn’t the bite of winter, it was the fact I felt I had nothing. Winter was quickly showing to be a depressing time for me. The dull colors did little to help, I never thought of the flowers so much until now. Fall was pretty too, but I liked the spring, I think that was the best time for the avians.

I wasn’t expecting or really wanting company. My body tensed as I smelled him, Leonidas, I had no nicknames for him, not that I would say aloud at least, I knew him as his name, thus I would call him that. As was appropriate. I was expecting a fight, I was happy I had stopped my humming before his scent had brushed my nose, out of earshot surely of my singing before. I knew he would make fun of me if he knew and heard, it wasn’t exactly a boy thing to do. I did not move, knowing he was probably on his way to me, and soon I heard the telling sounds of paw steps in the thin snow and then the sound of my nickname from his maw. I was surprised to hear him call me flame, phosphoresce of my fur was clearly lacking today. His tones were surprisingly lacking the cocky edge I had been expecting of him. Perhaps he wasn’t so bad as I had made him out to be through all this time. I wasn’t taking chances though, I wanted to make my intentions clear today.

”Leo.” I said my tones just as curt as his own, perhaps sounding a bit meeker than usual. I wasn’t up for the usual games and sparring, I set my eyes on him, the bright opalescent green that usually flecked the deep forest of my eyes oddly dull, fitting the winter, fitting my mood. Thankfully, so far, we were having a rare moment where we could get along and not fight, but there was no Rhiannon or Butterfly to fight for, it was just us out here.

I wasn’t expecting the brush against me, I had surprised me slightly, but I let him do it, stepping away after only a moment of contact though. I was not used to it, I wasn’t so sure I wanted it from anyone except my real mother and sister. I scanned him, took in his every look and movement, waiting for him to say something I was expecting or at least in a tone, but it didn’t come.

What had brought me out here? I didn’t have to think about it for long, “Nothing at home for me to stay for right now, thought I would try and see if the outside would be different.” I felt more wise beyond my years, but I was forced to grow up fast, I ate food my new family brought for me, but as soon as I was better at hunting they wouldn’t see me anymore. I didn’t really want my new family, I wanted my real one.

”What about you? Surely you haven’t just come here to see me.” Was it bad that I hoped he had? At least it would make me feel like someone cared.



Taliesin
~ Sings To No Soul ~ Serenades None ~