Dawnlark Plains When I look Into Your Eyes

"Why do bad things happen to good people without a reason?" Dwinn latched on a thought that Adlartok had expressed. "My dad's first mate - Aunt Wildfire - died soon after she gave birth to my older siblings. That is not fair," she told, though there was a different side of this medal. Had Wildfire survived, then Dwinn would not be sitting here talking to this old and grizzled man. "I don't believe that she did anything wrong in her life to deserve that. Dad said that she was a very good person. Kind and loving. And yet she died. And then some bear that constantly attacks a pack by the ocean - Sapphique - and causes a lot of harm, it lives. Why do you think is it so?  Wouldn't a Wildfire make much better contribution to the world than one murderous bear?" she asked, though in the inquiry itself stood the answer. There was a lot of shit going on in the world and you could do nothing about it. No one asked your opinion either.

"What do you think - what makes people do evil things?" she wondered next, because that was a logical continuation on topic of war and reasons behind it. 

Artok grinned a little darkly. Well some could argue, because good people don't know when to stop being good. They keep allowing those that hurt them back into their lives over and over again, because they care. Because they want to help. A variety of reasons really. That is what I prefer to believe, rather than they just happen cause they can.

That was the simpliest and hardest answer the white male could come up with. There was nothing else to be said or done about it.

I think that depends on the person. Some people do evil things cause they were taught it. Some do it cause they don't know any better. Some because they're angry. I could give you hundreds of answers. And you'd hate every one.

"I never thought of that. Why would they do such a thing? Allow those, who hurt them back? I would not," Dwin really did not understand the complexity of people's nature, needs and choices they made in life. "But, what if that bad thing is not a person? Aunt Wildfire died of an illness. There have been people that get into accidents or someone takes their life. If a person is struck by lightening... you cannot really stop it, can you? You do not have a choice of whether the lightening will come into your life or not. It is not about letting in, it is about having no say in it. I don't like it," she furrowed her brow, when she said this. The idea the even she was not protected from the evil in this world was disconcerning. There were so many things she wanted to do in life, to achieve and having an event or a person standing in her way, worse - taking her off the track she had decided to take, was annoying.

"So - do you think we should feel sorry not only to the victim, but try to understand the evil-doer to some extent as well?" Dwin said this and felt that probably this was one of the hundred answers that Adlartok had promised she would not like at all. "Though to be honest - if someone attacked  me, I would not really care about their past. I would want to hit them back hard and so that they would never try to do it again," she declared. "I don't think that "not knowing better" is any excuse to being a jerk."

Artok frowned they were getting a little too close to his own history than he liked. How often should he have left his uncle Sinaaq and he had been strong enough to eventually, but not before he hurt him quite a lot.

Well figure you are just little right. And you have no one, but this wolf that treats you bad, but also good sometimes, right? And it is all you knew? Like you knew no other treatment. It would condition you to then want to help them right? Or your heart is so good that it can't help but want to help, even if you know it will get hurt. And sometimes those that hurt other's do it so skillfully they completely make them think the same things that they say.

He placed a paw on the girls head and rubbed. That's what happens when the universe decided to be a pain in the ass.

I think that's a choice you have to make. You've told me you wouldn't like someone that attacked other's or did bad things, but you're talking to me and i've done both those things?

Dwin suppressed a growl, when the older wolf crossed her personal space and touched her. Had it been anyone her age or a sibling, they would have earned not only that but a snap as well. Since this fellow was older and there was a hierarchy that worked between wolves of different walks of life even outside pack borders, she simply drew her ears back and looked away. When he removed his paw, she got to her feet, retreated few steps so that he would not be able to do this again and shook her coat and by doing this - freed herself from the uncomfortable feeling. 

"That is true. You were rude and now I like you less," she replied. "I can also flip your argument - how can you be sure that I not worse than I appear to be?"

Golden eyes glowed for amoment and he gave a snort. Would that have been me, I already would have bit your paw off.

he shrugged broad shoulders and moved backwards. Though her next words and he had to fight the urge to laugh until he pissed himself.

A grim smile lit up his face as he looked her over. You're to amiable, you talked to quickly, you didn't bite me when i touched you and even now rather than leave and read me the riot act, you sit there and took it all. So I assure you. YOu aren't anything like me and you are definitely not worse than me.

It turned out that just because you thought you were the worse thing to meet out here, did not mean that others thought the same way too. Somehow - while the tone of their conversation was still neutral, Dwin felt distrust begin to tingle at her fingertips. She watched the man carefully, while he talked her down, and paid more attention to whom she was actually talking to than before. Seemed that he had exposed her bluff with such an ease, but try as she might she could not figure out, whether this would be the right time to start a retreat, while there was still time for that. 

"Well, as one of my friends said - there must be balance in all things," she smiled at him brightly. "I cannot trade a pair of your mutilated fingers for my severed head," she said. "I like my head very much and where it is now and I think that even you would not be half as bold and tough, if you were missing half of your paw."

Artok had been raised to know hostility. He wasn't openly trying to be hostile, but his demeanor was often wanting. He kept his body neutral and didn't go after the girl. Moved his body further away from hers. He didn't want her to think he was going to attack her or anything, because he wasn't.

Artok chuckled. I'd probably be more ballsy, because then what else do i have to lose if half my paw's already gone, but you don't need to worry. I'm not gonna rip your head off.

He yawned and waited to hear what else she had to say.

Adlartok reassured Dwin that he had no intention of hurting her, but somehow the magic of the conversation had disappeared and she no longer wanted to spend more time in his company. It was getting cold too - standing so long in one place and if she was to sleep tonight in a nice, cosy place instead out in the fields, where the wind raged, it was high time she began to search for it. 

"Well, it was interesting talking to you, Adlartok," she wanted to say "old man" instead, but again they were not on that kind of friendly basis. "Good luck in... whatever endeavours you have in the future! Don't kill people," she grinned, waited for him to say something in return and then took off. 

Thank you for the insightful thread!