Big Salmon Lake They're out of order in war

Sng is Power Play by Eddie and the Tide

Slow and soulfully the male shifted from the shadows and walked from the Spear. There wasn't as much pep in his step, but it wasn't for anything other than he was simply tired. He'd be hunting for herbs all day. And he had been plagued with nightmares the day before. He was slowly getting back to himself, but he lifted his muzzle and sang to the shadows. A low and soft sound.

They're out of order in war
They're out of order in love
They need to feed, they both agree
The hawk and the dove
But don't get mad, get even
And don't let 'em get to you
I never promised
It was fair and true
Before they're through
They'll have me hunting you
It's not important
Good and evil
They're neck and neck
Bases loaded
And there's three on left
We're in the final quarter
And it's runnning out
You'll need a father
Like there's no time out
He'll lift you out of the cradle
Help you into the grave
But don't be fooled by all the rules
And don't be the slave
You take a chill pill, and, baby
Relax, float downstream
Life is no rehearsal
You know what I mean
And freedom seems
To be a far-off dream
It's not important
Good and evil
They're neck and neck
Bases loaded
And there's three on left
We're in the final quarter
And it's runnning out
You'll need a father
Like there's no time out


His voice rang out soulful and deep. He sang to the stars, he sang to the moon. He sang to fill that small void that had begun again, but would clear up. He wasn't a sad wolf and everything that had happened to him, he had used it to better himself. Just every so often the darkness would creep in, and he needed to feel his sorrow and then let it leave.

Dwin had not set her foot out out of Brecheliant ever since she had returned with Dee in tow. First she had needed time to recover, second - there was so much to do and help the adult population there, that it left hardly any time to go and discover life outside. However, on a particular summer afternoon she found an unexpected gap of free time in her calendar. Teya's kids were busy learning the ropes of impending adult life and the new batch of potato siblings that Maia and Eljay had brought home were in no need of assistance yet. They were fine to be eating, sleeping, not bothering people and feeling quite content in being cute, but useless. 

Dwin had realized that, while she liked the kids, she did not feel any particular maternal instinct triggered by them. Her interest was in equal doses scientific and amused, but if anyone had asked, whether she wanted something like this too, her anwer would be a firm "no". If asked "why", she would simply shruge and tell that she did not have the feeling of "yes, yes, YES!". This is a brief summary of, what Dwin was thinking, while she walked all the way from caldera to the Bramblepoint and first heard and then caught sight of a man singing his soul out to the sky. Having never heard anyone distort perfectly nice howls in such a way, she sat down, listened and felt both amazed and curious, if by any chance the man had been afflicted by temporary madness. Or a curse in a parallel universe. After all, if the gods could fulfill your wish and turn everything you touched gold, then surely making you sing every time you tried to speak was not impossible either. 

"Oy, siren man," she called out to the stranger to warn him of her approach. "How many fair maidens and men have you lured in your trap and drowned?" she asked, grinning at her own clever joke. 

Alaric adored children of all ages. There was just something awesome about how their eyes lit up when they learned something new or when something fascinated them.

Alaric immediately knew he wasn't alone, but the other didn't seem to mind. And besides this was his bread and butter after all. He was a bard, a story teller, a healer and the majority of his pay days came from audiences. Though this was a free showing of course.

An impish grin curled his lips as he turned. Oy one too many and yourself? Are you swayed?

he teased quietly.

First, Dwin was not exactly a kid anymore. She was a proud young adult, who thought herself all wise and mighty and powerful, but still had a lot of maturing to do. Second, while she had never had any problems in having conversations with all kinds of people, she read something off about the way the man had addressed her. Dwin furrowed her brow, eyed the fellow suspiciously and then let it go. 

"Nope," Dwin shook her head. "I am not into singing and poetry," she replied, being crap at the first and having never understood, why would people think of the latter as an art form. In her honest opinion, it was a waste of brain energy. "I am into fishing though. Does this method help catching fish better?" because in that case she would/could give it a try. 

She looked at him with something close to disgust or suspiciousness he couldn't tell which and honestly he couldn't bring himself to care as much as usual. Normally the man was eager to please and make those that conversed with him smile. But the heaviness that had been laying on him, didn't just disappear because someone had wanted to talk to him. The horrors that he had faced before this. She would never know he hoped and he wouldn't wish it on anyone. Betrayal of the most intimate kind from someone you cared for. Was rough.

Alaric chuckled and shook his head. If you want to chase the fish away it helps, but otherwise nope. My dad always told me to be quite when fishing. That too much noise disturbed them. I'm not much of a fisherman. My sister Amalia though she likes to fish. She would know better than me.

"OOOOh, I know an Amalia!" Dwin exclaimed and the fact that Alaric did look a bit similar to her packmate registered later. "She lives at my home in Brecheliant - were you on your way to visit her?" this appeared to be the most logical explanation of him being here, why else than to see his long lost sibling? 

"I can take you there, if you want? Surely, you two have a lot to talk about and she must... will be very happy to see you!" she suggested, jumping to her feet and ready to go any time, if such encouragement was expressed. 

He chuckled. That would be one and the same. She recently came to visit me. And yes I was. She always makes me feel better if I'm having a bad day. 

Though Alaric hadn't been in a hurry. He figured he'd move about and go slow see the sights, but he could go now. The girl seemed eager to get him to her home.

Alaric motioned for her to lead the way. She may be glad to see me, but we are siblings so sometimes we irritate each other.

The last line made Dwin frown. It had been months now, since Dee had disappeared and, while the better part of her had accepted that this had been something her sister had needed, the more selfish side still felt hurt. It was like a small wound that she kept picking open and therefore it did not heal properly, but continued to ooze and fester. Time from time she played out imaginary scenarios of them meeting again - and they ranged from tearful reunions to her being angry and shouting and expressing all the anger she felt. But then it occurred to her - what if Dee was dead and gone? And the very idea made her humble again and feel very bad for even having these heretic thoughts. And this cycle continued and continued and continued and Dwin could not quite find a way to get out of it. 

"Okay," she shrugged in response. He did not seem to be very eager to see his sister. "Do you irritate each other often?" she asked out of curiousity. Perhaps, being at odds with a sibling was not an entirely unique perspective. An older man like him should know more about this. 

Alaric saw her frown and he wondered at it, but if she wanted to tell him, she would. It was not his place to ask the hard questions. Because he was a bard, his job was to make other's smile and feel good. Not pick at their brains. Even if he were a healer of all ailments, mental and spiritual too. You couldn't heal those that didn't want it.  Alaric understood the worry and the little bit of selfishness, but he and Amalia had always made sure to part on good terms.

Alaric chuckled. I just saw Amalia recently. But I am always happy to see her.

Her next question didn't exactly surprise him, but he wondered how to answer it. Because yes they did, but as they had edged it wasn't so much. But how do you tell someone still young that. We do, though as we have aged, we've learned to handle it better and Amalia and I have always made it a point to never leave each other cross. Even if we have to sit in silence for a time. We won't part ways until our feelings on things are resolved.

"Also, when you really, really, really do not want to see their face?" Dwin asked tilting her head to the side in wonder. Because, when fights between siblings had got too heated, Maia and Eljay had employed a tactic of "timeout", making each kid get out of the other's face and cool off elsewhere. This had a huge success rate and the Blackthorn kids would have entered adulthood with some pieces of ears, toes and tails less, had they been forced to sit down, stare at each other and have things resolved. 

"What if you want to see them and at the same time you know you will be very, very, very angry, when you do? You kind of want to, but do not want to at the same time?" Dwin pushed the subject further, curious to hear the man's perspective, but not too optimistic about, whether it would be useful to her. 

Alaric chuckled. Well it's  a little hard. Amalia and me are so similar that sometimes it's like looking at my face. So if I see my reflection. Well you know. And it was true. They were not identical by any means, but they were fairly similar in stature, facial looks and the like.

Then I take a deep breath and give myself a few more minutes. I might do something I really love for a certain amount of time and when i'm calmer i'll go seek them out.

He'd done' that more than one time as he had aged. He had not wanted to be around her for a time and had just did something to distract himself until like nightfall then went and found her.

Dwin did not understand, whether Alaric's remark about the reflection was his attempt to joke or he had meant it. Still - she chuckled, thinking, but not saying out loud that it was no wonder, he saw himself in Amalia. All black wolves looked like each other. So did white wolves. And only those, who had colours - even greyscales like her - were truly unique. She would probably not be able to tell Alaric apart from Amalia, if they were standing far away. 

"But, what if that anger does not go away. Even after those few minutes? And if that anger spoils every good and great thing you want to do? It just creeps in and does not let you go and you ruminate that thought over and over and over again?" Dwin pressed for a more detailed explanation.

Alaric had more brown than Amalia, but there was no point in hashing that out. He personally felt that all wolves were unique. And if you knew them well it was a little easier to tell. But he could certainly see how it could be confusing sometimes.

Alaric frowned. Then you should talk to someone you trust. Or you can do something called mediation. Where you get someone else usually an older wolf that has nothing to do with the anger of either one of you. And you each talk about why you're upset and the mediator can help you fix it.

Dwin misheard Alaric - instead of mediation she heard meditation and expression spoke volumes. "I can't stand meditation! That's is such... such annoying nonesense," she exclaimed. A long long time ago a nomad had stopped by at Brecheliant. He had told a great deal about the philosophy and religion of his tribe and had promised to show a technique on, how to become one with oneself or... well, Dwin did not remember all the details. What she remembered vividly was, that the more she was asked to breathe in and out deeply and imagine herself going on a journey in the universe, the more angry and agitated she became, because of, how slow everything had been. And how silly all the man's words had sounded. 

'Nah, that does not work for me. Maybe for some, but not me," she dismissed the topic without going in for further explanation. "Ever had experience that you were promised would be awesome, but it was quite the opposite?"

He laughed. I didn't say meditation I said MEED-I--ATION. he chuckled again and shook his head at her loud vehement dislike of meditation. He wasn't a fan himself, but he didn't think he was this bad about it. IT was too quiet when you meditated. You own thoughts too loud. Which means you're doing it wrong, but well it was what it was. 

Alaric nodded. his head. Well yea, but you just have to make the best of it or try too. So it doesn't get you down. Reframe you way of thinking.

He thought of a few times when he stayed at other villages and was sorely disappointed in well everything, but he had done his level best to make the best of it.

The chit-chatted all the way to the Brecheliant's borders, where they either met Alaric's sibling or in her absence decided to pay a visit at a different time.