you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

In the end all you can hope for

Is the love you felt to equal the pain you've gone through


He couldn't blame himself for how he had been—young, foolish, and hurt. His, at the time, best friend had taken off in the dead of night, after an unforgivable breach of pack law. Running from the scrutiny of his own judgment had been easy, fangs bared and blood hot.


Not anymore. The bitterness of her voice teased out a grunt from him. Was it even possible to make it through life without regret? Without anything going wrong? Without friends disappearing or dying? Could he have stood here, right as rain, and perfectly happy? He doubted it. Life didn't work that way, and if it did, could he appreciate it?


The muscles around his eyes tensed, and then, the rest of him, too. She moved—she came closer—and he became his namesake.


Could—? Could he—could they?


Could he let the forgiveness to take hold of him? Could he.. embrace it? It was one thing to decide not to hate her or, or not to kill her, but could he do that—forgive? His eyes went wide, and within his frozen shell, he began to tremble.


Her nose touched his cheek, and slightly, his head tipped against the touch. He closed his eyes. Breathed in. She smelled sort of like she had, way back then—of Naira and trees, but more things, too. Of Triell, mostly. Maybe even some stress. She had things to do. Children to find. He shuddered as he exhaled, and turned his head to draw his nose along her cheek, up to her ear—he stepped forward, and pressed the side of his head against her scruff. Older, not necessarily wiser, but infinitely more tired, Ice could forgive.


Even his tail gave a treacherous little wag behind him before he stepped back, just in time to catch her glance at the forest and the lengthening shadows. It was a painful reminder of how little time they had, not just now, but.. in general. Gone, with his memory taken, Ice had wasted years, precious years he should've spent watching Corinna, and raising his sons.. time spent with Triell. And, he admitted with both reluctance and relief, Naira. After all these years, it felt good to let go of the hatred.


"He showed me the tree, once," he replied, voice soft with thought. "And told me about his family. I.." He paused; licked his lips. Glanced aside, then back to her. ".. thank you." She smiled, and something about it filled him with warmth, and he inclined his head slightly. It hid his own smile, though it wasn't his intention. "I'll go find Triell," he finally said, and raised his head again, a shadow of the smile still present.


He had never believed it would've happened, but as he studied the wolf in front of him, he realized that it saddened him to see her go so soon.