Dawnlark Plains you can call upon this family, you can call upon this day

Disclaimer: retelling and adapting an old folk tale that is not mine.

"One day an old man went fishing in the river and just as he was about to give up, because he had not managed to catch anything at all, a golden fish appeared, which he snatched up and brought ashore. But unlike other fish, this one began to talk and plead: if the man released her, she would fulfill three wishes of his. The man thought the offer through and let the fish go. 

When he returned home, he was met by his angry mate, who had not been able to find any food and was infuriated that her husband had had no luck either. But he began to tell her about, what had happened. The wife told him to go back to the river, call for the fish and tell it that she wished to be the alphess of a pack.

The man did as he was asked - he went down to the river, called for the golden fish, told her the wish and she replied: "Go home - your wish will be fulfilled." From afar the man could see that there were a lot of other wolves now that his wife was ordering around. But she had not had enough. She told the man to go to the river again and tell the fish that she now wanted to be the Queen of the whole forest. The man was reluctant to do so, but, when she threatened to send her guards after him, he obeyed.

The fish appeared, listened to the request and simply said: "Go home - your wish will be fulfilled." He went home and saw his wife - now a mighty queen - sitting in a stone throne and all the living beings of the forest were bowing down in front of her. But the Queen still did not have enough. She told her husband to go down to the river and now ask the fish to make her the Ruler of Heaven and Earth. The man refused to do so, but she ordered her subordinates to attack him and the poor man yielded.

Down by the river again, he called out to the fish and she appeared only upon the third call. She listened to his request and said: "You people are too greedy. May all become as it was before!" And when the old man went home he found his angry wife alone and poor as they had been before," Wraen finished the story. 

"Not so much about wishes going wrong, but more about people, who do not know, when to stop," she said. "But over time I have come to believe that there is another moral to this story - people do not truly appreciate things that come to them easily."

ingram listened in silence, and when wraen had concluded her tale, he solemnly met her gaze. that story, to him, seemed immensely sad -- for a multitude of reasons. he felt sorry for the fish, and he felt sorry for the man -- to have a wife so unappreciative and callous. he thought of what he would do in the man's pawprints -- perhaps wish for a better wife.

"do you think the wife learned her lesson?" ingram asked softly, contemplating the story anew with a tilt of his head.

"I have never thought about it," Wraen shrugged, though she found the question interesting and contemplated a little. "I doubt that she did - people do not change their personalities. Perhaps, she was not as angry and greedy before she was tested with power. Humble surroundings kept her in place," she offered.

"I also think that we should not judge her too harshly, because we can argue that the husband could have put up a little character and refused. Wished something for himself," she mused, surprised that such a simple story could have so many layers and levels to discuss. "I think that certain circumstances could bring out a side in us that we did not know even existed," she concluded.

people do not change their personalities, wraen intoned, and ingram found himself agreeing with her. there was little he remembered about his past life, but he did collectively remember, in a way a beast remembers a specific plant is bad or bitter, that he had been dismayed by his people on more than one occasion.

wraen's conclusion that perhaps circumstance brought out layers in wolves that they did not know they possessed hit close to home with ingram; he wondered if, in a similar situation, he would be as greedy -- he earnestly hoped not. "i think you're right." he concluded amiably, wondering if he was any the wiser for the tale wraen had spun.

"I am glad we are in agreement," Wraen concluded and smiled at the man. She had had a very pleasant time and conversation, but a long time had passed (4 months!)  The short winter day was drawing to a close, it was becoming dark quickly and there was still a distance to walk, until she reached the temporary home. 

"It was good to chat with you, but I have to excuse myself and hurry home. Do not wish to be stranded out in this weather," she explained, shivering a little and feeling ready to move. "Good luck, wherever you end up and I hope we see each other again in the future. It was nice talking to you."

Last one from me - thanks for the thread!

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ingram had been absentmindedly rehearsing wraen's story when she spoke again, announcing her imminent departure. he regretted seeing her go -- but he understood; he was not far from home, though he suspected she was. there was only so much daylight left for a wolf to travel by.

he dipped his head and found his gaze holding hers a moment; a smile bloomed then, for he had enjoyed her company and her story. "good luck," the swarthy male replied, straightening himself out to make his leave. "i will remember this story, and hope for a new one the next time we meet." a cheeky grin split his dark muzzle before he saw her off with a second nod. once her figure could be seen no more, ingram headed home.