Under a Winter Sun (Auburn)

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/j97kg8.jpg] ”You little liar.” Auburn’s teasing set her at ease a little. She relaxed a little. ”No, really,” she said, smiling a little. ”I just… I did what I had to.” Her remark about fighting or dying seemed to make him a little upset again. "It shouldn't have been, " he said quietly. The teasing tone was gone, replaced by sadness and anger again. But far from making her as nervous as she was before, the tone of his voice only briefly reminded Kayden what she was doing. ”Well, that’s how it was. There are a lot of things that shouldn’t be, but are. The only thing we can really do is fight them as hard as we can.” ” I'd have remembered if I met someone like you. But, no, I haven't. But then again, I haven't been on this island very long, so…” Kayden flushed at the compliment. You nit, thought that tiny cold part of her, it might not even be a compliment. She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when he said he hadn’t seen her mother. His comment about not being on the island long, however, brought her hope again. " That reminds me, I haven't told you my story yet." Kayden smiled a little. ”Bet it’s a good one,” she said, and for the first time, she lay down off to one side of the path. ”Do you want me to?" Kayden nodded. ”I think I need… I mean,” she said, blushing as she realized what she had been about to say. ”I think you deserve your turn, after I bored you with mine and all, that is.” She flushed. She hadn’t been about to say that at all. What she had meant to say was much worse than that. I think I need to know you. I think I need you to want to know me. I think I need you. I think I want you, and I don’t understand what that means. But I don’t care, because I think I need you. She didn’t dare say it. She was such a coward. She didn’t dare tell him that only a short while after they’d met, she felt like they’d known one another all their lives. She didn’t dare tell him that he was the first person ever to affect her the way he was, that she wanted the awkwardness to be over and done with and just give in. She almost wanted to tell him. Kayden almost wanted to beg him to understand, to plead with him to feel the same way. As she was thinking all this, a realization settled in that rattled her right to her foundation. You don’t even know him! cried the small part of herself. And you swore never to feel this way! You promised yourself you would never give in to a male, not ever! She was battling her emotions now, battling her instinct and her intuition, because the thought was too horrible to even consider. She didn’t want to feel the way she did, but she couldn’t help it, and that scared her. She tried to hide her fear, because for some reason she didn’t want Auburn to see it. But it was there, and she knew she was in over her head. Kayden knew, deep down, that she was going against everything she stood for just by feeling the way she did about this Auburn, this wonderful, horrible Auburn whose voice made her weak and whose eyes saw right through her, this Auburn who was both reassuring and terrifying, this Auburn who was turning her world on its head, yet who felt to her like he belonged there anyway. Because the thought, the ghastly, delightful thought, was I think I’m falling in love with you.

[Ember]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/400middle.png] ”No, really,I just… I did what I had to.” I smiled again. " Not every wolf would have done what you've done. They would have taken the easier route. Heaven knows, my mother would have done just that, " My eyes narrowed at the thought of her. Silly, stupid Ember. Thinking she was doing the right thing when she was really doing the wrong. I did it to keep you safe, she would say, but I knew I would have been safe in the pack. And, of course, Crouse wouldn't have grown up the way he had. ”Well, that’s how it was. There are a lot of things that shouldn’t be, but are. The only thing we can really do is fight them as hard as we can.” I took another step closer to her. " Yeah, it's true. Just gotta fight till the end, " My eyes had a faraway look to them, my thoughts in other places. Crouse was fighting, but he was doing it the wrong way. How could you fight against something that you couldn't name, couldn't place? ”Bet it’s a good one,” Kayden looked so happy for a split second when I gave her the compliment and asked if she wanted to hear my story. But then her green eyes clouded over with mistrust and fear. I looked closely at her, worried, as she step off the path and layed down on the side of it, her eyes now eager to hear the story. I smiled at her puppy-like eagerness. ”I think I need… I mean, I think you deserve your turn, after I bored you with mine and all, that is.” I cocked my head to the side a little, confused. She seemed to be saying, no, seemed to what to say more than what she did. My brow puckered into a little frown. " Your story wasn't boring, " I said stubbornly. Her green eyes swirled with confusion. Green eyes..... In a flash, I knew why I loved wolves with green eyes. All the wolves I met, if they didn't have them, I didn't really like them. But Norther and Rokai, well, their green eyes seemed to call out to me. And the fur color..... I seemed to be drowning in her eyes. The world spinned, and I felt lost. A little voice inside my head went, Stupid, stupid, stupid. Hide behind a mask. Do whatever it takes to not....to not fall in love. But I paid no attention to that voice. I blinked stupidly, the spell broken by the mental reminder of my mind telling me you've been staring into her eyes too long. I didn't want to creep her out, no, I wanted her stay forever by my side. And yet there was a tiny voice inside my head...... " My story started before I was born, " I began, my voice switching from it's normalness to a storyteller's voice. My tale swished a little, my natural-born eagerness to tell a story taking in affect. " It was all Ember's fault. From what I can tell, from what I've guessed from what little she's told me, she...er......" Here I paused, unsure of how to phrase this. " Let's just say a male treated her very, very unkindly. " " And so she got pregant with my brother, Crouse, my sister, Sage, and me. I born in a pack called Renegrade, and I remember very little from my stay there. If you meet anyone from Renegrade, tell them that Ember's back, " I said, my mouth curled up in distaste. So what? Ember took me away from everthing I could have had, everything that should have been. All the friends I could've made, and my own siblings. " For some reason, Ember felt the strong urge to leave. She could only take one of us, and she chose me, " She should've chosen Crouse instead, so that his heart wouldn't have grown so bitter. But, if she had left me, would I still hate her? I doubt it, if I had no memory of her. " I grew up wandering from place to place, Ember always by my side. She would never leave me alone, and always tried to help me do something when I could've just done it myself!" My lashed out, I was working myself into a frenzy, my gold-amber eyes turning into a melting color. At this piont, I wasn't even looking at Kayden, just looking off into the distance, furoius. " And then, for some ureasonable reason, she felt the urge to come back to the island. I have no idea why she did this, cuase some many of us despair, when she could've just stayed and....and...." My trailed off, my fury untamable. " See, it was a boring story. Not half as good as yours, " And with that, I stalked off, up towards the path, my tail lashing and my mood a thundercloud. I didn't even care how unpolite I was, walking off from Kayden and her green eyes like that. I was too mad to care. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid Ember!!!!

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/j97kg8.jpg] Auburn smiled at her, and against her will Kayden melted. ”Not every wolf would have done what you’ve done. They would have taken the easier route. Heaven knows, my mother would have done just that.” His eyes narrowed, and Kayden made a guess that his mother was not nearly as caring as hers had been. Her bumbling statement about needing him seemed to make him confused- he cocked his head to one side and looked at her funny. ”Your story wasn’t boring,” he said quietly. ”Well, I know I’m not much of a storyteller,” she said. Auburn looked at her, and this time she could feel the heat of his gaze in her heart. His eyes didn’t leave hers. She was unable to look away from him, from his liquid gold eyes. Her breath caught, and the small cold part of her groaned. Couldn’t you for once be smart and run while you have the chance? No, you have to do the stubborn thing, don’t you? Idiot. She stopped listening to herself, turning her attention to the wolf who so confused her. ”My story started before I was born.”

[/i]

Kayden felt chills race up and down her spine. Auburn was a natural tale-weaver. His voice resonated with power that only came from talent.

It was all Ember's fault. From what I can tell, from what I've guessed from what little she's told me, she...er… Let's just say a male treated her very, very unkindly. And so she got pregnant with my brother, Crouse, my sister, Sage, and me. I born in a pack called Renegrade, and I remember very little from my stay there. If you meet anyone from Renegrade, tell them that Ember's back."

His mouth curled in disgust. Kayden could see the story he wove, saw a vague female shape that had done something wrong. She had no idea what it might have been, but she knew the feelings behind it.

"For some reason, Ember felt the strong urge to leave. She could only take one of us, and she chose me. She should've chosen Crouse instead, so that his heart wouldn't have grown so bitter. But, if she had left me, would I still hate her? I doubt it, if I had no memory of her. I grew up wandering from place to place, Ember always by my side. She would never leave me alone, and always tried to help me do something when I could've just done it myself!"

His pale eyes were cold and hot at the same time, furious and not seeing Kayden for the first time. Kayden’s heart went out to him. How awful, she thought. Not to have even so much as one person to love you and help you when you needed it and to belong to. Another tiny part of her spoke up suddenly. If you wanted, you could be that person for him now, said the part, unbidden. The idea confused her. For her entire life, she had vowed never to attach herself to a man, never to love. It wasn’t fair, that love should find her when she was least prepared for it, when she had finally broken free of the life she had led before. She was free now, and the irony was that her own feelings were trapping her.

"And then, for some unreasonable reason, she felt the urge to come back to the island. I have no idea why she did this, cause some many of us despair, when she could've just stayed and… and… See, it was a boring story. Not half as good as yours."

With that, he turned and stalked away. Kayden blinked away tears. She had to make a choice now, and she knew that choice would haunt her if she chose wrong. On the one hand, she could turn and run from Auburn, run from confusion and a decision to be made, run from what most terrified her. She could turn her back on this deserted he-wolf and forget his liquid gold eyes and his storyteller’s voice and his words that made her blush and forget herself. She could abandon all of her softer feelings and put herself into an ice shell again, never come out for anyone again. She knew how to do that, and she knew she could. But on the other hand, she could run after him. She could stand by his side and be the one wolf who would be there. Kayden could choose risk and confusion and awkwardness, all for the brief warmth of Auburn’s eyes. She could turn her back on every promise she had made herself and give in to what she wished she could do, she could choose to give him everything, with no guarantee that he would accept it, or that she would receive anything in return.

Kayden bit her lip, thinking. Then she got up, slowly, and ran through the streams of light that broke through the dark canopy like beacons of hope. You fool, said one of the small parts of her. Kayden ignored it and ran. ”Auburn!” she cried. ”Auburn, wait!” Panting, she slowed down as she caught up to him. ”I know… I know nothing I’ve done can compare to that, so I won’t say I know how you feel. But I do know this- I—I’m starting to think… And I barely even know you, but… I want to help you. I—I mean, I like you, is all. A lot. And I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be, but maybe… maybe there’s still hope. What happened to your siblings? Crouse, and Sage? Maybe you could find them. And if you wanted…” She trailed off for a brief moment. Don’t do it! screamed the ice-queen half. If you do it, you will never be able to go back!

It was worth it.

”If you wanted, I could come with you.”

Kayden sealed her fate with those words. By helping Auburn, she gave up the search for her mother. Just this once, though she thought, maybe that’s okay.

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[Ember]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/400middle.png] Kayden stood there, like someone under a spell, her green eyes never leaving mine as she listened to my tale. The spell was only broken when I stalked off, my amber eyes cold and , at the same time, hot with anger. Deadly anger that could and would strike at the next thing that crossed my path. A temper that ran in my family, first with Ember, and now with Crouse and me. I ran under the canopy of trees, my short legs moving in a steady, if not fast, rythmn. This is a pace that I could have held for miles, a steadiness that made anything seem so.....less complicated. As long as I focused on the running part and nothing else. But something soon broke that spell. ”Auburn!” It was Kayden's voice. I slowed, my pace upset by her, was again letting myself be with her. She was coming right behind me, her pace a good deal faster than mine. ”Auburn, wait!” I stopped completely, my eagerness to run replaced by an eagerness to see her face....that just showed how much I had fallen for her already. Kayden caught up to me, almost crashing into me, but she didn't because I took a step to the left, a grin on my face as I watched her. And then she started talking, her voice soothing my anger the way water soothes burns. The fierce light in my eyes began to fade away as I listened to her. ”I know… I know nothing I’ve done can compare to that, so I won’t say I know how you feel. But I do know this- I—I’m starting to think… And I barely even know you, but… I want to help you. I—I mean, I like you, is all. A lot. And I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be, but maybe… maybe there’s still hope. What happened to your siblings? Crouse, and Sage? Maybe you could find them. And if you wanted…” My heart starting pounding faster, my eyes lit up with hope. The words seemed to ring in my ears. If I wanted.....the question was, did I want to? My brain turned to mush as I stared into her bright green eyes. If I wanted......I did. Very much. But did she think the same thing? ”If you wanted, I could come with you.” Yes. That was my first thought after she said that. Just a pure, simple, Yes. But.....what about everything else. Rokai, Crouse, Sage, Ember......names flew through my head. Crouse and his Revolt. Sage and her pack. Ember and her.....lonliness. None of it I belonged to. but could I belong to Kayden? I should have learned from my mother. I couldn't make the same mistakes she did. But....Kayden and I seemed to have clicked. I narrowed my eyes, deep in thought. I hoped she wouldn't see the slight mistrust in my eyes, the wariness. And then I finally had my answer. " I'd love that, but what about your mother? Besides, I.....I already found my brother, and my sister is......in Renegrade. I don't want to take the chance that Ember has made it back to her old pack. We could just focus on finding your mother, if you want, " I said, politely, leting none of my anger slip into my voice. Just an act, and now it's time to slip on the mask. I looked into her eyes, emotions playing across my face like a sildeshow. Confusion, happiness, slight anger. But most of all, nothing. My mask was on now, and I wasn't going to take it off.

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/j97kg8.jpg] She didn’t dare hope. She had gambled everything on him, risked everything to utter the words that had magically popped out of her mouth. His eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke. Panic seeped into her blood. Oh, desert spirits, please, she thought. Please don’t let this happen. ”I'd love that, but what about your mother? Besides, I.....I already found my brother, and my sister is......in Renegade. I don't want to take the chance that Ember has made it back to her old pack. We could just focus on finding your mother, if you want.” The words were fine. The words were all right. But the tone… Kayden crumbled inside. She had lost her gamble. His voice was so flat, so emotionless. And the light had left his eyes- they were solid gold, not the emotional liquid gold she had loved without intending to. She caught flickers of happiness, mixed with wonder and confusion and anger in his face, and then it was all gone. Not so much as a millisecond of emotion flashed across his face. Her heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Her first instinct was to lash out, to show him some of the pain he was inflicting on her. But she cared too much. So she put on a mask of her own, schooling her features into an expressionless façade. Whenever Kayden’s emotions were too much to deal with, she thought of desert sand and the ripples that formed on it. She was the sand; she was the desert. She imagined that a cool wind blew the ripples in her away, smoothing out her feelings. Two can play at this game, this “I don’t care” crap, thought every part of her. She swallowed the last of her crushed feelings. ”I’m sure I’ll be all right on my own,” she said, and though her face was smooth, her voice cracked with pain and anger. ”Maybe I’ll see you around sometime, huh?” Before her emotions could get the better of her, Kayden turned and walked back down the path. Stupid, stupid, stupid she thought as she walked. “Stupid” didn’t vent her frustration as well as she would have liked, so she added some good swear words, too. Serves you right. Letting somebody in like that. Males. You knew they were garbage. He probably enjoyed that, yanking you around. See, all that stuff about never letting a man hold you back, that went right out of your head the minute Mr. Goldeneye walks into your field of view. Next time you don’t so much as give them the time of day. Shows what self-control you have, buster. You idiot. She could barely hold back tears, but she wanted a solid mile or two before she broke down. The one time she had put trust, real trust into a person- the one time she had opened herself up completely, had ended in disaster. She knew better now. She could never let herself get this deep again. Kayden took her time walking away from him. Part of her wished he would come after her like she’d come after him, but he was too angry, surely. Love, she thought scornfully. What the hell do you think you know about love? What would Nelaros say? Or Father? They’d laugh at you, that’s what. Some warrior you turned out to be. Fall head over paws for the first male you see that isn’t scary-looking. Self-control right out the window. That’ll teach you to let your guard down. But if it was so right to walk away from Auburn, why did she feel like crying? One look back, she thought. One last look. Just one. Just for a moment… She turned to look at him, and nearly cried out. He was so… Auburn-y. She could think of no word to do him justice. She didn’t care for him because of his looks, though he was handsome enough. She didn’t care for him because of his voice, or his complements. She loved him for his eyes and his words, and the way her made her smile and the way he could melt her just by looking in her direction. A tear trickled down into her fur, stinging her scar. She blinked, hard, trying to control the flood of emotion and tears. It was too painful to look back and see him. She closed her eyes. She didn’t know anything about love. But with Auburn, she might have agreed to learn.

[Ember]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/400middle.png] I am perhaps the worst wolf in the world. Well, maybe not THE worst wolf in the world, but close to it. Just thinking about the look on Kayden's face....I took a deep, painful breath. ”I’m sure I’ll be all right on my own,” It wasn't the words, it was the tone. The oppsite of my emotionless tone, this was full of pain and anger. I struggle against the urge to let words fall off my tounge, to say I was sorry. And then it was too late ”Maybe I’ll see you around sometime, huh?” And then she walked away. My paws itched to chase after her, to say I didn't mean to hide behind a mask, didn't want to, it just came out. It was...in my genes you could say, to hide. I narrowed my eyes in her direction. I couldn't help it. She should've known that with the story came the hidden emotions, the wish to hide the emotions. All her fault. I let out a sigh. No, it wasn't. I let my eyes follow her as she walked down the path, her head held high. At the same time, she looked so small against the trail, so fragile. It made me want to chase after and protect her, her tender broken heart. I was a fool and I knew her heart was already broken. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She looked back, her beautiful green eyes misty. I stared at her, trying to tell her without words that I was oh so sorry. Because if I did do it with words it would be like giving in. And, like my brother once said, I was stubborn to a fault. Wait, was that a tear? Yes, there it was, shining mocking me. All of a sudden, I felt the urge to run. Not at her, or away from her, but just anywhere. I closed my eyes, not wanting to look into her wonderful green eyes and began running in a random direction. My paws hit the ground in a steady, even way. I didn't dare open my eyes until I had a direction laid down, and, once I did, was surprised at where my paws were taking me. To Kayden. I frowned. Hmm. I ran straight pass her, not looking her way until I was a few pawsteps in front of her, and turned my head over my shoulder and said, " All right, all right. I'll go off to the Revolt and get myself killed just as long as you don't looked at me that way ever again! I'm......I'm......sorry that I had to put a mask on. " There, it was out. And I could still run. I ran just a few pawsteps more and then turned around and stopped. " Well, are you coming? I do plan on doing something, yah know. As long as you're happy, " I smiled in my playful way and gave her a wink. Just as long as she doesn't ask about the mask thing we'll all be okay. And, let's just hope Crouse could find room in his pack for someone who has to be on two sides.

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/j97kg8.jpg] He closed his eyes, too, like it was too much for him to bear to look at her. There was an apology of sorts in his eyes before he did, though, and it was enough to light a tiny hopeful spark somewhere deep in Kayden’s chest. Eyes still closed, Auburn thundered toward her. He slowed down after he passed her, and called back. “All right, all right. I'll go off to the Revolt and get myself killed just as long as you don't look at me that way ever again! I'm… I'm… sorry that I had to put a mask on.” He grumbled a little as he said it. She shook her head. ”If you get yourself killed, I’ll look that way and worse, pal,” she told him fiercely. ”Even if you’re dead, I’ll still kill you, is that clear? You’re not allowed.” She meant it, too. For the first time in her life, Kayden was determined to protect a person with her life. She found, to her intense shock, that it wasn’t as awful as she had expected. Auburn took a few more steps, and looked back. ”Well, are you coming? I do plan on doing something, yah know. As long as you're happy.” He winked and grinned. Kayden felt warm, but she knew she couldn’t let herself into that same place again. Maybe… maybe after a while, she thought. For now, we’re just friends. Even if I feel different, there’s no way I’m letting this happen again. Because, for all that she was entranced by the wolf with the golden eyes, the pain of heartbreak was too much for her to bear twice. She’d trust him with her life, maybe- but not her heart. Not yet. ”I’m right behind you, Goldeneyes,” she teased. She took a few steps forward. ”My mother can wait. If she isn’t dead by now, she can wait a few months.” She said it lightheartedly as she could, and was surprised to find that she didn’t mind abandoning the search for a while. She had imagined the quest to find Serra would consume her until she either found her mother, or saw a body, but to her shock, it was easy to put it aside, so long as she knew she could come back to it later. ”So. This Revolt thing- what’s it all about? Is Serena involved?” Kayden chuckled a little. ”Desert spirits, I never even thought I’d be saying those words. I thought this whole place was just a legend, just a bunch of stories parents told to cubs to get them to go to bed or eat or wash their fur. ‘Go to bed, or Cesaru will get you!’ ‘Wash your paws, or I’ll tell Serena!’” Kayden mimicked the voices of the pack mothers from the desert tribes, laughing a little. ”I must’ve been the only pup who never thought they were real- and now I could meet any of them on the trail, except Cesaru, of course. But who I’d most like to meet is, well… I’d love to meet Serena. She was always my favorite character. The brave, bold Sister Wolf, you know? Never let a man handle her, never step down from a fight and all that.” Kayden realized she was babbling, but it made good conversation. ”I used to play pretend that I was with her. We used to go on all sorts of adventures. And now I’m finding out she’s real, and she’s alive, with her own pack. The Warriors, I think. What do you know about them?”

[Ember]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/400middle.png] ”If you get yourself killed, I’ll look that way and worse, pal, Even if you’re dead, I’ll still kill you, is that clear? You’re not allowed.” I raised an eyebrow at that. " Oh, is that so? " I mumbled, my emotions hidden once again behind these gold eyes of mine. I was touched by her...stubborness. No, her protectivness. Once again, I felt myself falling for her. Staring into those green eyes again….lost. No. I wasn’t going to do it again. I shook my head, trying to clear out those thoughts. “ Oh, Kayden…..” I mumbled before losing track of what I was going to say. ”I’m right behind you, Goldeneyes,” “ You better be, “ I said, half teasing, half telling the truth. I narrowed my eyes at her and grinned, hoping she’ll take my teasing lightly even if it wasn’t really teasing, it was the truth. ”My mother can wait. If she isn’t dead by now, she can wait a few months.” I stared at her. “ But, “ I said, cocking my head to the side in confusion, “ shouldn’t your mother be more important than some random wolf you met on the way?” I said it, even through it hurt. I wanted to be more important than even her mother, although that didn’t make much sense. I just hoped she wouldn’t see the hurt in my eyes. ”So. This Revolt thing- what’s it all about? Is Serena involved? Desert spirits, I never even thought I’d be saying those words. I thought this whole place was just a legend, just a bunch of stories parents told to cubs to get them to go to bed or eat or wash their fur. ‘Go to bed, or Cesaru will get you!’ ‘Wash your paws, or I’ll tell Serena!’ I must’ve been the only pup who never thought they were real- and now I could meet any of them on the trail, except Cesaru, of course. But who I’d most like to meet is, well… I’d love to meet Serena. She was always my favorite character. The brave, bold Sister Wolf, you know? Never let a man handle her, never step down from a fight and all that.” She was babbling, but it was nice to know the stories she grew up listening to her. I laughed along her, the part about the parents telling their pups to wash their paws or Serena will get you was the funniest to me. “ My mother used to say the same things to me, just….not as often, “ I said, still laughing. ”I used to play pretend that I was with her. We used to go on all sorts of adventures. And now I’m finding out she’s real, and she’s alive, with her own pack. The Warriors, I think. What do you know about them?” “ Not much, “ I said, shaking my head. “ All I’ve heard are stories. And….yes, Serena is involved with the Revolt, “ Just not the way you think, I added silently in my head. But Kayden didn’t need to know. She didn’t need to know about the fights the Revolt and the Warrior’s get into, or how they’re bitter rivals, or anything like that. No, I wanted her with me on the Revolt side. No matter what. “ Hmm, the Revolt……” I added, flicking my tail. “ Not much that I know about either, except my brother has a mate and puppies on the way in his pack, and I might be needed to protect them. You know how that is, don’t you?” I kept my golden eye locked with hers, hoping she would come join me in the Revolt. If she didn’t, then, we’ll be on two sides in a war. A very bad thing. What if I hurt someone that she…knew and caused her pain? That would be terrible. I shuddered. But there was no way I could leave my brother, now that I finally know him again. Kayden please, I begged with my eyes, please,please,please.

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/j97kg8.jpg] ”Oh, is that so?” He had the mask on again. Kayden raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He looked into her olive-colored eyes, and for a moment he looked a little sad. Then Auburn shook his head. ”Oh, Kayden…” She didn’t know what to say in response to that. Something about the tone sounded so sad, so lonely. Was she imagining the longing that mirrored what was in her own heart? She hoped she was. If she wasn’t, the tension between them was going to be problematic. She was so afraid. Kayden didn’t want him to see, but he terrified her by caring. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t understand the rules that came with this sort of thing. ”But, shouldn’t your mother be more important than some random wolf you met on the way?” The words came reluctantly, but they were honest, and Kayden loved him for each one. ”My mother can take care of herself- she was the one who taught me how to fight,” she told him. She didn’t tell him how awful her mother was at it. But fighting wasn’t the only way to survive on Traum. Talking worked too, and sometimes it worked even better. If there was one thing her mother could do, it was talk. ”Besides,” she said, more quietly. ”Maybe I figure you’re worth it, Goldeneyes.” She tried to put a teasing tone on the words, but it failed. She couldn’t hide how she felt- she’d never been able to. He laughed at her imitations, but it was lighthearted, the kind of laugh that made her swell happily inside. ”My mother used to say the same things to me, just… not as often.” Kayden smiled. ”Isn’t that amazing? We come from such different places, but we know the same stories, the same characters. It’s incredible.” When she asked him about what he knew of Serena, he shook his head a little. ”Not much. All I’ve heard are stories. And… yes, Serena is involved with the Revolt. Hmm, the Revolt… Not much that I know about either, except my brother has a mate and puppies on the way in his pack, and I might be needed to protect them. You know how that is, don’t you?” He kept his eyes fixed on hers. She nodded. ”Sure. Even in the desert, you have to take care of your family. What’s he like, your brother? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I’m just curious,” she said quickly before he could put the mask back on. Kayden’s tail swished from side to side as she walked. It was nice, walking with Auburn. Their strides matched- hers a little long for her size, but enough that she could keep up. She turned to him again, smiling. ”Oh, I’m so glad Serena will be part of this. Do you think I might get to meet her? Just the idea of getting to meet her… Fighting with Serena- it’s like one of my daydreams from when I was a pup. The Revolt is different from the Warriors, right? As I heard it, they’re two separate packs- but they are working together, right? ” She hoped so. She would loathe the idea of fighting against Sister Wolf. The silvery female was the symbol of everything Kayden stood for- fighting against her would be betraying everything Kayden cared about. But, she reminded herself, Auburn says I won’t have to. The Revolt are working with the Warriors. She trusted his word. If Auburn told her something, he was telling the truth. She refused to think it could be otherwise.

[Ember]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/400middle.png] ”My mother can take care of herself- she was the one who taught me how to fight" " Oh, really? " I pricked my ears up at that. My mother never taught me to fight, I just sorta learned it, over the years. Mostly from studying her when she fought. Besides, maybe I figure you’re worth it, Goldeneyes.” I blushed slightly, hoping she wouldn't notice. It made me feel good inside, to know that she thought I was worth it, worth wandering around the island with. "Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold, Her early leafs a flower; But only so an hour, " I recited, the words pleaseant on my tounge. Ever since I heard that poem from a loner, I've memorized it, gotten stuck in my head forever. I placed myself in front of her, reciting, "Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. " I finished the beautiful poem, my gold eyes looking deep into her green ones. " You, my darling, are the flower. I just hope I can hold you for more than an hour, " I said truthfully. And without grief, I added silently in my head. ”Isn’t that amazing? We come from such different places, but we know the same stories, the same characters. It’s incredible.” " It is amazing, " I said. Truely it was. We came from such differant palces, never even knew each other before now, and we know the same things. It was just...wow. We were so much alike, yet so differant. ”Sure. Even in the desert, you have to take care of your family. What’s he like, your brother? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I’m just curious,” She knew me so well, talking quickly enough so I didn't place the mask on. I had to smile. " Well, there's another peom that describes him well, or at least the way he acts towards his mother. Oh, and the other reason I knwo these two is becuase this loner traveled with my mother and I for a while, and he loved reciting poems. " I said, hoping she wouldn't think me a know-it-all. I put my storyteller's voice on. " 'Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great,' "That's pretty much how he thinks about his mother. It's a bueatiful poem, ain't it?" I said, back in my normal voice. " 'From what I've tasted in desire...' " I grinned at her and winked. Haha. I hope she'll get that I'm just teasing her. I started walking again. This was nice, just talking and walking with her. ”Oh, I’m so glad Serena will be part of this. Do you think I might get to meet her? Just the idea of getting to meet her… Fighting with Serena- it’s like one of my daydreams from when I was a pup. The Revolt is different from the Warriors, right? As I heard it, they’re two separate packs- but they are working together, right? ” I froze. Like in a dream, I told her, " Yeah, sure, you'll meet her, just wait and you'll see, " The other half of me was struggling to find out a way to tell her that the Revolt wasn't working with the Warriors, but against them. What was it that Crouse said? He beat a warrior up really badly, didn't he? How to tell her that, through? Be evasive without being evasive....Ugh..... I turned around to face her. " Listen, " I said, nothing but concern in my face. " I don't think you should get into this. I know you can fight, but, but, I don't want to see you get hurt, okay? " Not by my brother or someone else anyways. I struggled to see a way out without hurting her pride, but it was hard to find. " You can chase after the fairy tales, but, please, don't join the war. Can't you see, I'm.....I'm...." Oh how hard it was to say the words! Some part of me seemed to break when I thought of it, and another part danced with joy. Couldn't she see the words spelled out on my face, in my eyes? I. Love.You. I scooting closer to her, wanting to press my golden eyes right next to her green ones. Don't go......I'll die without you.