Evergreen Forest

As the pad of the yearling’s forepaw sunk into yet another patch of spongy green moss, Iocus couldn't help but smile to himself. This particular forest was green with lush life, almost unnaturally so. It made him feel good somehow, as if the energy of the flora was infectious to all who witnessed its natural glory. It certainly spurred him onwards.

The black male had only very recently--as in the past two weeks--left his natal pack for lands uncharted. His quest had no particular aim, which probably had something to do with his unusually young age of one year. For one so young, second thoughts were frequent and intense but also a driving force. Iocus was determined to see the world and those who lived in it. He knew that couldn't happen at the heels of his dominants. And so, he stuck to his hasty decision.

He had another reason to feel good, aside from his vivid surroundings. Iocus paused to wriggle his nose at the base of an aspen tree. He was on the recent trail of another wolf, obviously a female. She had a strong, clear scent; she was alone. Iocus' rust-colored eyes gleamed with excitement. His first meeting with another dispersal, without the invisible tether of a pack!

Caught up in his intentions, Iocus disregarded any second-guesses that may have surfaced about the female's scent, including those that hinted at her less-than-ideal physical condition. Besides, he thought, she isn't the only one around here. That was true; he had not been oblivious to the stale scents of other wolves in the area, clearly residents. But he had chosen to advance without seriously considering the ramifications of an unannounced intrusion.

Iocus lifted his head to peer through the trees before him. His eyes surveyed the terrain in a panoramic fashion...

There! The pair of ashen hindquarters disappeared behind the trunk of a tree not fifteen wolf-lengths away. Raising his tail in excitement, Iocus cried out "Wait up!" and surged after her retreating back, his claws leaving deep slashes of brown in the moss.

Although he had left his family, Iocus knew he never ever wanted to be alone if he could help it.

Gale had stayed in solitude long enough. A female had been injured near him, but she was receiving assistance before he could even move a muscle. The two she-wolves seemed to be enjoying one another's company; he decided not to intrude and crept away quietly. His tan paws whispered against the growing grass blades as he padded on with no destination in mind. To his mind, this was like a routine check of the land he lived in; he kept a careful tab on what was around him that could pose a threat. So far, he found nothing and a content feeling washed over him. For once in their lives, the wolves of the Banishing Winds could be in a quiet tranquility during a season. Everywhere they went brought forth some sort of pain; it was nice to be able to almost completely relax.

The warrior had been just about to do that himself when a wandering breeze stopped him instantaneously. A familiar scent clung to the wind like a thorn in one's pad and it felt like a thorn lodged itself in the beta's heart. Memories sprang forth without being summoned: Two wolves laying side by side, him standing over her in the rain; keeping her dry after her sorrow used up all her energy, a mischievous smile on her face as she realized he was ticklish, him telling her that he cared for her, and a memory that was just his imagining; her walking away without so much as a goodbye or a glance back. A strangled growl mixed with a cry grew in the Wanderer's throat. Was his mind playing tricks on him once again? Even though it was a fool's move, he was immediately running towards the scent. Again.

Colours blurred by him as he chose a gallop. If this was real, he wasn't about to let her slip away again. That had been his biggest mistake that he ever made and he wasn't about to make it twice. His tan paws struck the ground in an almost panicked manner. He needed to see her first.

After all, I was your closest friend after she died. Right Taru? The thought itself was bitter but the name that followed was even more so. A brief flash of surprise alighted in Gale's green eyes before fading. Did he really still feel this strongly about what happened? It appeared to be so. The male dug his back paws into the soft soil and pulled his previously fast moving body into a grinding halt. His chest rose and fell quickly as he stared at the near emaciated black form that was walking towards him. There was no laughter in the honey comb eyes that he had grown to know. All there was was hunger.

Gale straightened himself up and didn't allow his green-eyed gaze to travel over the female. A mask of calm fell across the warrior's face; not permitting any access to what he was thinking. Due to Taru's absence, he had learned new ways to hide his feelings. There were new and reconstructed masks that provided faux emotions. No one knew how to decipher them just yet and he wasn't going to make it easy.

"Taru, you're back." His voice was quiet as usual, but he couldn't keep the longing nor the happiness completely in check. They spilled over and into his tone, but they were nothing in comparison to the war that was occurring in his eyes. Bitterness, betrayal, and an accusation fought for one side while happiness, relief, and something else fought in the other.

"Wait up!"

Gale stiffened as a black male approached the duo. The warrior had not yet been noticed, but the young male had yet to get close enough to see him. A flash of anger rose in Gale's chest. Who was this? Another wolf who's heartstrings Taru had yanked? If that was the case, he pitied the other.

His smirk did indeed indicate the teasing nature of his words. "Far be it from me to call myself a fine predator, but I know the ways of the greatest of them. Some hunt head on, and others set traps. Either way, he reaps the reward."

His tail tip flicked slowly, twitching rhythmically, methodically as he explained himself. "Sweet scholar, you once changed the rules of the game, and so I take such liberties as well. I may not have grounded you like a wolf brings down the game, but I have ended the chase by the very act of losing the game. Your heart is so kind that, when you perceived the suffering of your poor Gliron, you returned to him with kind words. You can search this forest far and wide for such a fine hunter as I, who can call back the sweet doe without a fight, only because he was too poorly fashioned to earn her in the hunt."

His point of 'winning-by-the-act-of-losing' seemed a weak one, but the poor brute had a point. She was no longer leading, and he was no longer chasing her. In the game of chase, was that not the sign of success on the part of the pursuer?

As he spoke, Dago picked up the scents of others nearby. In their romp, they had come very close to the location of Apache, Kitara, and Midnight ((I think, right?)) although the names of these wolves were unknown to him. Cinnamon would perhaps be able to detect them as well, and perhaps would realize that something seemed, well... off about them. Like all was not well. His smile faded to a look of some concern, as we wondered of Cinnamon's own response to what he sensed. Would she acknowledge it at all? As a wolf who knew little of this pack and its ways, he was unsure as to whether a reaction to his sensation about the others was warrented, or something to be ignored in a pack so large as this one.

"Gale.... I—"

Taru began to take a shaky step towards Gale and the warrior found himself in a tight position. He had fully intended on remaining anger with the pretty she-wolf in front of him because she had left him without a word. He had thought she'd perished in the fire that ravaged the pack's old lands and he had mourned for her. Oh, had he mourned his loss. For many nights and days did he let self-pity control him and envelope everything he did. However, he had quickly been told by the former guardian, Altair that Taru had simply turned around and departed. Without so much as a word to him, she left. After that, the fire and ice set in, making him cold and detached to all in the pack. He had become cold and cruel through the beast though deep down, Gale had been attempting to claw his way back to the surface. Nothing worked until..

The thought disappeared the second that Taru began to collapse. It was possible that she would collapse if he did not step in. Though a little hot-headed at the moment, the Wanderer could not stand by and let her fall. Like a flash of multiple hues of colour, he swooped down and blocked the young she-wolf's journey to the earth. Gently, he put his head at her paw and carefully pushed it upright for a second before lifting his head again. His green-eyed gaze couldn't help but become captured in her honeycomb eyes; when their eyes met, he stared. She was alive and well and now she was back. So many emotions flew across his face, no mask was able to hold them off. Curiosity and joy were among them, however the ones that were most visible were regret and a feeling of loss.

There was a small frown that appeared on her lips, though she seemed to be attempting to ward it off. It appeared that he had been incorrect in his assumptions of the other's relations to Taru. Even though he knew it shouldn't affect him in any way, Gale felt nothing but relief at the thought. He knew exactly why too; he knew that he would never be able to stand seeing Taru with another. But the question in his mind was raised again; causing guilt to grow on his face again. What would she think now that he was paired with another?

"I initially thought you died." He whispered quietly, still not being able to break his eye contact with her. "But then I was told you walked away. Without so much as a look back; what happened?"

Her mind hoped it wasn't broken all but a sprang. She nodded being afraid of Gale wasn't the case she wasn't in the mood to talk. Just find peace and quiet but she agreed with Apache. Then looking around the forest wishing to escape it all and just have Lelio back. But he wasn't the only point in her life she loved to protect her family wishing she could see them again. Also to explore and discover all that the world holds. "I will for the next month and you are welcome sir!" She dipped her head smiling a bit then back at the ledge.

"Far be it from me to call myself a fine predator, but I know the ways of the greatest of them. Some hunt head on, and others set traps. Either way, he reaps the reward...Sweet scholar, you once changed the rules of the game, and so I take such liberties as well. I may not have grounded you like a wolf brings down the game, but I have ended the chase by the very act of losing the game. Your heart is so kind that, when you perceived the suffering of your poor Gliron, you returned to him with kind words. You can search this forest far and wide for such a fine hunter as I, who can call back the sweet doe without a fight, only because he was too poorly fashioned to earn her in the hunt."

Cinnamon smiled but held her composure "And how many other females have you ensnared with your sweet words Gliron?" Slowly she drew a breath, scenting others but ignoring them, listening to the forest, feeling like a doe she had seen once, one fore foot raised, head up, nose twitching.

"I am not scared! I wouldn't be scared of you or anyone in your pack I could easily fight any of you!" she responded lying. She looked around and huffed she did not want to be in this postion. Saphera looked at Falco she obviously couldn't fight him. She doesn't stand a chance if this pack wants her dead they for sure have what they want if they sent him to do the job. "Well an omega could do the job me being this frail." she thought

Dago was caught slightly off guard by her question. It was pointed, and he sensed he would have to answer this query very carefully, since he was uncertain how such an answer would impact this newfound friend's perception of him.

Quirking a brow as though somewhat puzzled by her question, he picked his words meticulously. "The number, I assure you, would surprise you." The answer was grossly cryptic, and noteably flat. Dago seemed somewhat reluctant to go into a discussion of his past, although still more than happy to change the subject.

"This much I will tell you, however." Said he. "Honeyed words may draw a wolf near, but just as many have been driven away by a face that is not so sweet. I am a wolf of a dancing tongue but also a Dead Eye, while one gives reputation the other draws suspicion." Dago shrugged. "But such was the sky I was born under, I suppose." His smile was genial, but also apologetic and somewhat weakened.

"And how do you know whether I looked back? Oh Gale, It was all so much, I didn't know what to do, so I did what I do best. Hide. And you said you would follow me.... if I left. But that was wrong of me! I shouldn't hav— It was unfair."

Gale listened to Taru speak, nothing coming to his mind of what to say. What could he say? At the beginning, when she obviously pointed out that he had no idea if she'd looked back or not, the beta noticed the flashes of thought that went through her honeycomb hues. She was willing for him to understand something, but as to what it was, he was not completely positive. However, he felt ashamed of himself for listening to others when only Taru herself knew exactly what happened. As she continued to speak, he listened quietly and found himself nodding in understanding. He knew Taru's personality and how she was; he couldn't find himself able to feel the accusation nor the betrayal that he had previously. It all evaporated away like rain upon concrete.

"I did end up going after you. When we reached this new land." He confessed quietly, his green-eyed gaze shadowing over with the memory. "But I didn't make it very far before I came back. Something told me that I needed to stay here and protect the Banishing Winds and the wolves within its ranks." He stopped briefly, wondering if she would understand that he was also held back by something else. Someone else. No, she wouldn't know because it didn't matter in the scheme of things. Adena was far out of his reach and his crush on her was gone. He thought back to Linnëa.. His mate. He had just told her that he loved her today, but did he really? Right now, he wasn't so sure. The khaki female didn't know him nor did he know her like the she-wolf that was in front of him. And with Taru back.. Right now, he didn't want to think about that.

"Hey babe,"

Gale stiffened as the male spoke again. His eyes went between Taru and the other, curiosity in their depths. Curiosity and a hint of anger. Not towards Taru, heavens no, but towards the male. For a moment, he forgot about the khaki female as his lips lifted to show his very white and very sharp canines. His fur bristled as he stared at the other male, hostility clearly painted in his expression and behavior. However, it quickly subsided as he realized that he could no longer do this. Like a puffed up balloon with a leak, he deflated. His fur still bristled slightly, though his fangs were hidden once more.

"I'm glad you're back." He shifted his gaze back to Taru and it softened more than it had in a great deal of time. "I can see that you need some food though; how about I hunt you something? I promise it won't be the furry hairballs." His last words were a reference to rabbits. He wasn't sure if she still couldn't stand the sight of them so he was staying away from the subject.

[Lame.. Sorry Taru!]

"The number, I assure you, would surprise you."

Cinnamon arched a brow, surprised at his brashness before seeing the doubled meaning in his words. Staying silent she waited for him to continue, unsurprised that he slightly changed the topic

"This much I will tell you, however. Honeyed words may draw a wolf near, but just as many have been driven away by a face that is not so sweet. I am a wolf of a dancing tongue but also a Dead Eye, while one gives reputation the other draws suspicion...But such was the sky I was born under, I suppose."

She met his eye with both of her own, flowing sincerity to empower her words and smiling softly at his self depreciation "Do you know what I see when I look at you Gliron?" She stressed his new name pointedly to deflect all reference to his blindness.
"I do see your scars, yes. But within them I see a wolf with a joyful loving heart. A wolf who didn't give up and die when he suffered those injures, as many others would, but instead carried on and adapted to his circumstances. I see a wolf who is kind and gentle, who can over come his fears and stands by his loyalties. I see a wolf who with all his courtly ways and folary has captured my heart"

Slowly she let out the remainder of her breath, gradually sucking in another, steeling her nerve for what she must say next. In order to get it out she had to shift her gaze slightly, not entirely looking at Gliron, but still trying to gauge his reaction.
"I see a wolf who I would gladly call my mate... If you will have me?"

Cinnamon held her breath, hearing her heart thump over loudly in her ears. Silent she waited, knowing she would be crushed if he refused.

Treading along foreign land wasn't anything new to Ceres, nor was trespassing into pack territory. It had only been a few months prior that the female had set off to leave her birth pack in search of adventure. To much of her own surprise she had held her own through her first winter on her own and while most other dispersal wolves would have shriveled in the cold, Ceres had managed to keep herself in decent health. As she entered the Banishing Winds territory she paused to take a minute to relax and take in the static atmosphere. Her last encounter with a pack hadn't gone smoothly, nearly costing Ceres her life. But now after traveling for so long she was ready to try and find home again. She wanted to find a place where she could feel safe from outside threats.

Letting out a slow, steady breath Ceres sat down in the cool grass. She didn't know what she was waiting for but she felt compelled to sit down nonetheless. After several peaceful minutes passed by without any interruption to the ambient woodland noises she began to question the pack's strength. She had heard many tales about the Banishing Winds Pack as a pup and how they had been forced to flee their home when a fire struck their land. Yet despite their struggles they had stayed strong, something that sparked Ceres own desire for a sturdy home. Her golden eyes scanned the trees around her once more. For a pack of remarkable spirit and strength they seemed to be lacking on checking their borders more frequently.

Rising to her feet, Ceres ran off into the trees. If they wouldn't notice her presence than they would another. Spotting a hare several yards from her Ceres slowed her sprint and lowered herself to the ground, careful where she placed her paws as she began to stalk her prey. She had no real intention of stealing their prey but her stomach had been growling all morning and trying to take prey would definitely get their attention. Once at a close distance, she sprang out from hiding and chased the rabbit through the bushes. Her tongue flopped out of her mouth as she ran after it, thrilled by the chase. As Ceres skidded around a few bushes in pursuit of the small ball of fur she lost sight of the hare and nearly collided with another wolf. Rising quickly to her paws, Ceres took several steps back as she looked at the strangers she had just run into. She narrowed her eyes as she looked them over. Both of the males were far bigger and stronger than she was and trying to fight them would prove pointless. I could still take them if needed. She thought hotly to herself.

Lips pulling back into a smug grin Ceres sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws, acting oblivious to the fact that she had intruded upon their home and had been hunting their prey. She knew provoking them wouldn't do her much good but getting them to at least shout a little would be fun. With great calm, Ceres spoke a greeting. "Hello there strangers." Ceres' eyes danced between them briefly. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I'm glad you stayed. Elysia's trouble to get you a place among the Banishing Winds would have been wasted had you fully departed,"

A slight shiver went through Gale's spine as he heard that name again. Elysia. He hadn't let his mind wander to the deceased delta too often and no one had ever spoken her name out loud. An image of the bracken coloured she-wolf briefly flickered in front of his green eyes before fading into nothingness. For once, no pain shot through his veins. He could remember her, but not be hurt by what happened anymore. Had he become detached? No, he could feel his heartbeat still quicken slightly at the image of her gorgeous brown eyes looking into his. However, he was not as spell bound as he had been previous. Yes, he had loved her and always would but he hadn't had the chance to know her as he would have liked.

Like Linnëa.

Waves upon waves of immeasurable sadness swelled in his body. They were over, that much was certain. He could see in her blue eyes that she yearned for another, one who's personality matched hers more. A brief pain of regret caused the warrior to close his eyes and reflect in silent agony what he had lost. If only he'd gotten to know her before asking for her to be his and in return, for him to be hers. They might not have ended as abruptly as they had. He would not be able to look at her the same way again but he would not allow himself to grow bitter about it. Instead, he would move on and hope for the best for her. That thought alone proved to him that he cared about her enough that he could let her go and find the true happiness that awaited her. The only hope he had was that he would not regret this decision.

"I care for you greatly, more than anyone else. Back.. Back when you tried to leave, I never admitted it, but I had not felt so alone for a great time. I love you."

A small, but sad smile grew on the beta's features as Linnëa's words whispered in his maroon coloured ears. It seemed that those words weren't true anymore. With careful concentration, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, he gently put her memory in the back of his mind. Like he had done for Elysia and Adena. Though hers was much stronger than theirs; it would be able to break out with more force than anyone else's. It seemed that his happy ending would constantly be destroyed by someone else.

"I'm glad too, Do I look that bad? I hope I don't look as awful as I feel, If you don't mind, that'd be wonderful, Gale. Anything'll do at this point,"

Green eyes opened again and met yellow. All the previous sadness was wiped away and replaced by only concern for Taru's well being. His lips pulled into a more mischievous smile as he looked the dark female up and down. She was skinny. Much skinnier than he ever remembered her being. The male tilted his head slightly as he pondered over what to catch the beautiful she-wolf in front of him. She was starved and even though she said it didn't matter what he caught her, he would not bring her a rabbit. It was something that he would always respect until she actually went out and caught one on her own. The last thing he needed was for her to lapse back into the depression that clung to her for many, many days. Mice could work, but he would need to catch many in order to appease her appetite.

"Sure thing sugar. I mean, Taru. And you can call me Iocus. I'll go with him!"

The words of the young male, now known as Iocus, had been heard by Gale but were not registered until this point. A snarl built up and clearly showed in the Wanderer's now icy cold eyes as he stared the young male down. His fur bristled once again but his lips remained over his canines. This time, he wasn't going to deflate like he had previously; if the young one knew what was good for him, he'd step away from Taru and retract his offer. As that thought passed he realized the mistake in that thinking. He most certainly did not want to leave this Iocus with Taru where the former could flirt with her while he was not present. However, he did not want for her to be alone where some rogue could pick her off easily. At the moment, he was stuck as to what he should do. Finally, he decided to let Iocus and Taru be the decision makers.

"If you wish to join me, feel free to. Though, I think it would be best if you remained here to guard Taru since she's not in the best physical state right now. But, if she thinks she can defend herself, then we both can depart immediately." He spoke slowly, quietly and deliberately. Gale knew that the younger male would have a bit of an issue when it came to choosing what he wished to do. For one thing, he could remain and learn more about Taru while flirting with her. On the other, he could gain a bit of a heroism look to him by bringing the dark female some prey. Had Gale been Iocus, he already knew what he would have decided.

Gently and softly, Gale brushed his muzzle against Taru's in a nuzzle. Even before the she-wolf left, such contact had been rare since she hadn't exactly been welcoming to any gestures of more-than-friendship from him. He had honoured her wishes, but this time he just needed to let her know that he hadn't forgotten her or anything that he had said. If she did ask about what he had done with his life in the past year and a half, he would tell her gladly. Though the parts about Linnëa would come more reluctantly and not because he was guilty that he had been mated with another. No, it was because the wound was still fresh and oozed pain.

"Love, is a useless thing. A useless, painful thing."

Hopefully they would see what he had endured. Maybe someone else would be able to heal that pain that he felt in the deepest section of his heart.

Before he started to believe what he had said.

Derek stepped back from the wolf, shortly after having bumped into him, it was obvious that the other male was assessing him as much as Derek was Pinion. If they had said the words out loud they would have realized their thoughts were more or less on track with each other. Derek would recognize the pain and loss in another wolf, just as he saw it in himself. It was evident even to the most hidden emotion.

“And you’re Derek, the lead Guard, I believe. I don’t think we’ve formally met.” Glancing down at the pile of fish, Pinion gestured to the prey with a wave of his paw. “You are free to take one if you wish, there’s more than enough.”

Derek dipped his head in silent acknowledgement that he was who the wolf said, but gave a dubious eye to the fish. He was not a big fan of the slimy creatures, but not want to appear rude he nodded his head once more and grabbed one of the smaller ones.

The darker male was about to start light, non-committal conversation when they were presented with a she wolf, one Derek had not seen, not that he would know, he was still learning names and faces once more. Though from Pinions reaction, she was not a welcomed member, but a loner. "It is impolite to present oneself without a proper introduction." his voice was quiet and flat, devoid of really any true emotion, but that of slight annoyance.

Ceres kept still as she observed the two males reactions to her sudden appearance. The light brown and cream one seemed aggressive at first though he quickly became calm. He seemed startled, as his response lacked a clear message. It was neither real friendly or harsh. “Hello... er.” She flicked her ear in response to his words though not really soaking them in. She turned her attention to the darker male as he noticed her. His stature portrayed his higher rank than the cream wolf. Unlike the other wolf though he didn't seem as friendly. His demeanor shifted into one of defense and he didn't find the situation lighthearted at all. "It is impolite to present oneself without a proper introduction."

Ceres kept her eyes level with the brute as she rose to her paws, her eyes narrowing slightly before she relaxed her facial features into an easy smile. "My name's Ceres. I've been traveling for months on my own and I've heard great things about your pack." She said, remembering the stories. "I thought it would be nice to see how the fabled pack is doing." Ceres flicked her tail behind her. These two weren't proving to be much fun but she had intended on joining and being smug wasn't going to get her an easy acceptance.

[ Lame but good enough XD ]

Dago's eye seemed to swirl with unspoken emotion as the female spoke. How? How did she see these things in him, kindess, loyalty, even a capacity to love? When Dago looked within himself he saw none of these things. When he looked at himself he saw Deadeye Dago, or even the Savage Companion. Did she care about those dark secrets, the hidden past, the layers of protection he'd wrapped around himself, dirty bandages on festering wounds?

Dago had wronged her, led her astray. Cinnamon, beloved pack member, esteemed scholar, beautiful female, perfect as far as he was concerned - and here she was, offering up her heart. She was like a doe who came willingly to the slavering predator. How could he refuse her?

His gut reaction was that he must. What would her pack say to this, her alpha? They would call him a trickster, a brute who had stolen the heart of their kin, manipulated her into feeling something, for perhaps they would see him for what he was, and not be so won by his flowery words and pathetic adorations of them. Crimson should have chased him off on sight, and perhaps would have if only he'd known what trouble the brute would cause with matters of the heart.

To refuse her?

The thought threatened to tear his very heart out of his chest. To love, and to be loved, this was what Dago had wanted so badly, and here it was, offered so freely, by a creature that Dago could not have designed more perfectly had his input been asked at Cinnamon's creation. Dago would rather be torn open by cruel fangs than reject her, but what cruelty would he do the female to accept?

He felt like a scoundrel, as though he'd stolen something not meant for him, a precious gem, or the food to ward off starvation, and his conscience insisted it be returned. But, how could one give up the very thing they want, need more than anything else?

Cinnamon.

If only she could see the ugliness of the brute before her. A coward, an ill provider, a sick dog, a monster. Undeserving, unfit, Unworthy.

Unworthy.

"Cinnamon." He said softly. "I am unworthy of you." He averted his eyes, the truth heavy and painful. A truth that tore at his throat like fangs, threatening to leave him bled out and dying at her feet. Surely, she knew it to be true.

He could not say no, though? How could he deny her anything, a creature who had shown him such goodness, such beauty, such joy as he had never known, and in their brief time together, made him forget himself, the ugliness, the Savage nature of what he really was. Could he summon up enough nobility, enough honor, to deny himself something that he was simply undeserving of, or would that craven nature, that low brute, that sorry need of some comfort, the starvation for it, win out?

He wanted her. He'd never wanted anything like this. Nights and days of no food, no water, of freezing cold, remorseless heat, and devastating loneliness, unrelenting pain, crushing fear, darkest sorrow - and there was never any respite he craved like the love and affections of Cinnamon.

She deserved a better wolf. In his mind he felt she could have anyone, yet here she stood, awaiting an answer.

He repeated himself, his flowery tones forgotten. "I am unworthy of you, Cinnamon." The pain in his voice was audible, a wolf denied everything over the course of a bitter life, but for the first time felt truly as if this were the truth, and for the first time felt the pain of such deprivations. What if the only thing you ever wanted was offered to you, but you knew you had not earned it, could not deserve it?

Would Cinnamon change her mind? Would she see the truth in this, come to her senses, leave this brute and all his faults and find a better male? Or would she stand firm, believing that she truly saw the good in this male, and perhaps believe that she could bring out the best in him with time?

Unworthy.

She stared at her paws. She was silent, like everything around her just..... stopped.

All she was thinking of was 'how could they....'

she knew hanging on would mean, trying her very hardest. She knew it wouldn't be easy....but she could get through it.

She took a deep breath... and spoke for her first time "Uhmmm...hi..." She kept staring at her feet