Soul walk on, she had tried to join pack but it did not work out. The leader did not take her in. She soon came to a dark forest. Soul rested and her thoughts took over. "Most packs are full and are not easy to join" Soul thought to herself. Then she looked around her. She did not know where she was. "What if I make my own pack?" She asked herself, half joking. She was half dead already. But she did not rest, just in case any wolf came by.
Shadow yawned as he trotted out of his den to the creek edge where he dipped his muzzle into the creek and lapped up some water. He debated whether to steal a bite from the pack's cache or just go on his way and see what prey was stupid enough to jump in his way like those two rabbits had when he and Bazi went scouting.
He decided to just see what would come to him today and set off, today was a good day for scouting and he was in a mood to check out new things and explore today. He ran and ran, relishing the wind in his fur as his paws leaped through the grass.
Soon he arrived at the entrance of a forest, Shadow never liked the suffocating trees but just today decided to see what they had to offer inside. After a while underneath the suffocating canopies he noticed another wolf. A female with a coat of gray and whites and brilliant blue eyes.
He approached cautiously, she was probably a loner. "Hey," he said, rather awkwardly.
Soul looked at him. She wanted to growl at him, to make him go away. After being rejected it was hard to trust others. However, he did seem friendly plus, she would hate to get in to a fight. So, she dipped her head in greeting.
Shadow tilted his head, looking at her curiously, "What brought you to these woods?" If it was because she liked being in a forest, he would be surprised. He did not know any who liked the suffocating canopies but on the other hand she seemed down, maybe something had happened to her. He wondered what had.
But then lots of things could happen to a loner. Death, starvation, dehydration, injuries, fights. He should know, he'd been one before.
"Just roaming." Soul replied softly to answer the wolf's question. Then she looked at the strange wolf. He didn't look like he was a loner. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Shadow," he said, avoiding the question which was probably intended to see if he was a loner or a pack wolf. But she should be able to smell the Creek wolves on him, after all he had been there for quite a while already. "What's your name?" he asked, dipping his head politely.
Usually being polite would get him somewhere, asking someone's name was a start. Hopefully she wasn't hostile.
"Soul." She said softly. "No pack will take me in. I'm just looking for a safe place to live. This forest looks safe for now." Then she stepped closer. "What pack are you from? she asked "I know you're not a loner." she growled softly.
No pack would take her in? Why? But he did not push the issue any further sensing that if he did a fight might break out and that was the last thing he needed right now. So she did know that he wasn't a loner. That wasn't surprising. The odors of the wolves of the Creek clung to his pelt and the scent of the pack itself was embedded on him.
"I wish you no harm, I am merely here to explore. Pack life has less freedom after all." he stood his ground and did not move while she approached. "I am from Swiftcurrent Creek." he dipped his head politely.
Soul tilted her head as Shadow spoke of a pack having less freedom. "That may be but your feeds you, protects you. It least you have a role. Something that loners like me longer. It seems it's my role to die in these woods. Soul growled with hidden anger When he said Swift Current Creek, Soul calmed. "No wonder you scent seems familiar I've lingered around that pack for a few weeks now. Your pack is full it can take no more members." With that Soul turned away. "Leave." she growled. But as she did she became dizzy from hunger. "Not now..." She thought as she tried to keep herself up-right and hide the pain in her eyes.
"True, but I always liked exploring." he said in reply to the first part of her sentence. He wasn't stupid, he knew that she was angry though she might not show it but she did not seem to want to fight, just for him to leave. She was too weak, she'll probably collapse if they fight anyways.
Suddenly she seemed to shudder and just before she turned, he saw a flash of pain in her blue eyes. Immediately he came forward and supported her, "Are you okay?" he asked concerned.
Even though Soul was very thankful for the wolf's help, her very untrusting ways caused her to push him away. "I'm fine, leave me alone." but her growl was soft and weak. she broke away from him and disappeared in the dark forest.
Shadow stared as she raced away deeper into the forest, she had growled at him to leave her alone but he highly doubted that she was fine. He sniffed the air and began following her lingering scent deeper into the dark woods. He had never been one to leave a wolf alone that seemed in need of help even if they didn't admit it.
A rabbit scuffled by the leaf mould, immediately Shadow crouched down and began creeping towards it. At the last moment he leaped and his jaws found the rabbit's scruff and bit into it.
He continued walking towards the scent of Soul, the rabbit hanging from his jaws.
Soul kept running. Even though she knew the wolf was only trying to help, everything in her told to not to trust him. His pack was full so, it would be reject all over again. Then again, something in her heart told her to give up running from everything and everyone. Suddenly Soul felt dizzy. She fell and went black.
Shadow knew that he was getting closer to Soul, a few more pawsteps later he saw her. She was lying on the ground, immediately he ran towards her, his silver eyes flashing with concern and worry. The rabbit that dangled from his jaws moments before lay on the ground now. He stopped beside her, he was no healer, he did not know what to do and he was panicking.
He frantically looked around to see if anyone was there, what happened to her. There did not seem to be any visible wounds or blood loss so it had to be something else. Was she dehydrated or starving? Probably both, he did not know but he had to do something. He sat down beside her, if she fainted because of hunger or dehydration she would probably wake soon. If she still didn't wake, he would need a healer. His ethereal eyes never left her, filled with concern and worry.
In the spur of the moment, he found himself muttering "Please don't die Soul, please. There's two spaces in my pack, its not full yet. Don't die."
Soul awoke with pain still filling her eyes. She had heard what the wolf had said. "No more rejection? Can I trust him?" Soul thought. But then her thoughts went to the rabbit. Soul was starving but the kill was not her own. Only if he gave it to her, could she take it.
Shadow sighed with relief as Soul opened her eyes, quickly he went to retrieve his rabbit and offered it to her. "Eat this," he said, and then his eyes filled with humor "And you can't give it back to me. I'm giving it to you." Hopefully that solved the problem, though it was unlikely that she would give the rabbit back to him anyways, from the look in her eyes, she was probably starving.
Would she accept his offer to join the Creek?
"Okay." Soul said softly as she gently took the rabbit. "I'm sorry for the way I acted toward you. Trusting others is really hard for me. But you haven't killed me yet so, you're not like my birth pack. Therefore, I'll call you a friend, Shadow." Soul said this softly, half smiling. Then she began to eat the rabbit.
The ashen male smiled gently at her, when he had been a loner, trusting was hard for him too. "I am honored to be your friend," he murmured sincerely, knowing it was probably hard to earn this female's trust. His gaze wandered around before sitting back on his haunches, wondering if she would accept his offer to join the Creek.
But he couldn't be sure that it was still open, wolves could be streaming it every few seconds. He scowled in frustration, wishing that there was still space for Soul. She deserved another chance in a pack.
After eating the rabbit, Soul smiled and sat up. "Thanks for the meal." She said happily. Then she looked around. "What are going to do now?" She asked.
"You're welcome," said Shadow gently. "I'm probably going to explore a bit more then go back to the Creek. Why?" His gaze warm as he looked at Soul wondering if she would find a pack that would accept her. He would have invited her to his own if he knew it wasn't full.
If only newcomers came slower so there would be a space for Soul. She deserved to be in a pack, to be with a family. Though times at the Creek was difficult.
"May you show me to your pack?" Soul asked shyly. "I know you think it's near full but I must try. If worse comes to worse then maybe I can make my own pack, or die. I don't really have much of a choice."
If only his pack wasn't full yet but if Soul wanted to try, he was going to help her no matter what. He wasn't going to let her die. "You're not going to die." he said fiercely. "I'm not going to let you die," if she did die, he would be overwhelmed with guilt.
If only Bazi would accept just one more member. "Alright, I'm going to show you to my pack." he said, meeting her eyes.
Soul was almost scared by the fierceness in his voice. She didn't know how to take it. "Okay." she said. but she couldn't stand up well. "Is okay if I lean on you?" She asked.
"Yeah sure," the silver male trotted over to her while thoughts raced through his head. Will Bazi accept her? Or Scimitar in that matter. He did not know though he wished that there would be spaces in their pack. There would be soon, when the pups and their parents leave.
Six wolves gone overnight. Njal, Tuwawi and the pups. He would miss them when they leave, especially Jokull.
Soul walked with shadow and leaned on him from time to time. She had to admit, it felt good to have a friend. She found herself wondering what a real pack would be like.