They were evenly matched wit for wit and humor to humor. He felt connected to paled Celeste. A connection he hadn’t felt since the moment of his conceiving, which was quickly disconnected at birth. Horizon focused back onto the playful dance he commenced around the dearest ghost. She watched him with close inspection but there was no foul intention or play at hand. The firebird was merely having fun, which he hadn’t done in quite some time. Celeste was smart to mull over her words, but there was a definite clarity yet she remained enigmatic spirit in most ways. I am considered short, and stocky as you put it, among my own peoples, my friend. She giggled quietly. It was tinkling sound like wine glasses meeting in a toast. Horizon even dared to admit how much he enjoyed hearing her voice. There was no denying how ensnaring Celeste was.

Celeste was instantly at attention after his little spiel. It was so tempting. He couldn’t help but try to snare her into his little world. He hadn’t craved this sort of connection in what could be summed up as what seemed like millennia… He barely held contact most wolves he crossed paths with, but he hoped Celeste would be different. He liked her. She was good company and her enigmatic aura made Horizon all the more interested to get to know her. Horizon sat down with an amiable smile held on his lips. His paled companion made herself a bit more comfortable, her hind legs shifting to accompany her weight in a more comfortable way. Celeste lit up at his words of trade. Her eyes glittered with a child-like hunger that could never be filled. She couldn’t even control the elated laughter that proceeded to tumble out of her mouth. Her head bobbed up and down trying to let Horizon know she agreed to the plan and Horizon couldn’t help but smile at her puppyish behavior. I would love to swap stories, thank you for asking! Her face contorted into a look of concentration as she figured out her story or trade. She seemed to have come to a quick conclusion, Ah, yes, I know. A one of light would seem to fit this beautiful murkiness about us quite well. Horizon chuckled lightly as he looked up to the night sky. The moon and stars hung brightly above their heads but the ashy earth gave everything a clouded lens.

Celeste’s voice drifted lightly into the air surrounding Horizon setting him into a trance-like state. Her voice almost as intricate as the story which she had begun to tell. Her imagery was bright and beautiful, the glittering waters lapping at the shore and the gathering of wolves in kindred spirit made Horizon all the more drawn to her story… She paused quietly allowing the kalak to drink in every detail. It was within the first hour of light, the sky was painted in delicate oranges, soft pinks, vibrant reds, and magnificent blues. The sun was rising over the ocean, its light bouncing off the frothing waves, blowing the smells directly into the pack. Watching this, seeing the ethereal beauty of the reflections of all the colors, paired with the snow glistening, he saw her. She was even more magnificent than the landscape, with the darkest grey fur, and the voice of wind chimes. By far, the most breath-taking part of her was her eyes Horizon let out a sigh in sync with Celeste though his was more is awe of the girl in his mind and in front of him. His mind blurred the image of the phantom girl and the ghost presently entertaining him. The ethereal beauty was right in front of him but the fiery Kalak resisted his temptations to get closer to her. He blinked— trying to dislodge the hold of which Celeste had on him, but it was not so easily left behind. Their tri-colored pools met and held. Neither of them really dared to break the cocoon of silence, but Horizon broke the trance stare. A gentle smile lifting his lips before they parted, partly bearing his soul. There could be nothing more soothing than a story of beauty and love. I have never been touched so deeply by the words of… he paused slightly not out of dramatic effect, but rather the profound realization he had come to, anyone.

Horizon searched into the clear waters of Celeste’s eyes trying to find out who she was. He wanted to know her like she seemed to know him. The herculean knew he had no stories of such profound understanding. He would be light and dark, tinted by the false reality of royalty and the true laws of breed standards. His childhood wasn’t as pretty as it could have been but there was no fixing his mismatched pools and low born status. I don’t think my story would be one of such deep profundity but I will offer what I can to you, Celeste. Horizon paused settling on a story that could settle as a decent trade for hers. The land from which I have escaped is a harsh and unforgiving place. The earth is scorched, the grass as dead as the souls which inhabit it—kalaks. Packs made solely of the fiery demon which you see before you. It was passed down through my family that we were banished and cursed to serve the penalty of past treasons committed by fellow wolves. Our fur and bodies were once like your own. We were normal once. Our burned palates are the mark of treason. Our stilts colored to match the black blood which we carry with us and our red fur to mark the life which we have stolen. Horizon paused, remembering this story from his puphood. The raspy voice of the elder echoed in his head reminding him that he didn’t belong, even among his own species. But our eyes were the one thing that reminded us of our good deeds. Pure chocolate pools, each intricately shaded to uniquely single out every kalak for their quest of goodness. The royals had the most magnificent pools of mahogany, umber and sorrel. Nothing could match their distinguished colors, which in part defined their blood-line. But for wolves with less fortunate genes it was left to fate, the royals, to decide their future and many would choose to escape the harsh penalty which awaited them on the plains by running before they could be caught.

Horizon’s voice ended abruptly. He couldn’t end his story smoothly. There was no hiding the connection to which he had with the tale, but the damned monster could only hope that Celeste would take it in stride. He hadn’t meant to share a more personal story but it seemed to spill from his mouth without a second thought. The same silence fell over the duo again, but to Horizon it held a more stringent feeling. His mismatched pools looked to Celeste waiting and watching for her reaction. He wouldn’t break the silence twice in a row.