Drooping Willows The Wanderer

Namid 'Star Dancer' A mix of sadness and relief flooded her as he mentioned there were no humans in their area. In some ways she missed the up-right walking creatures. They could be very gentle and very helpful, but she knew that out here they would only be a menace. Still, she couldn’t help the affection she felt when she thought of them and their grinning eyes or strange furless bodies. It was something she would just have to live without. With the mention of his pack she felt a strange bit of confusion. It wasn’t directly stated if they were bad or good, but she took that it was somewhat of a mix of the two by his vague description. It settled her briefly flared anxiety if that were the case, because it was a more familiar mind set to her. Where she came from there were strong feelings of right or wrong. While she had not been as adamant about the subject as, say, her father or companion, she still knew the kind of being set on punishment or reward. She noted the confused look in his gaze as she inquired upon his pack and decided on indulging him in an answer. “My mother and father told me stories of packs of wolves beyond our lands. They told of those who were good and those who were evil. The good were kind and just, but the evil would rip out a wolves throat who dared venture too close to their borders without a question of their reason for being such. I wished that yours would not be that, for I do not want to be wolf chow today nor any other day,” The Star Dancer explained. Find a place where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.

Rowan flicked an ear as he listened to her story, therein finding the Star Dancer's flaw. How easily she spoke of definition. How crisp the line was to her. If that was how she saw the world - two sides to a coin and one flip in between - then he could justify the confusion that seemed to have seeped into her hetero-chromatic gaze when he told her of Willow Ridge. Though he understood her perceptions, the Attaya simply couldn't apply them to his own.

In a quiet moment he pondered further before the yearling elected to speak. "There isn't such a thing," he said softly, as though he were speaking to himself. "There are no good wolves or evil wolves. Only wolves." He pulled his lips taut in a grimace, curious if their conflicting views would cause a rift now. Wolves were not inherently one way or another. He had figured that out shortly after he had also learned that life was anything but fair. They were driven by desires and feelings and they all cherished and suffered the same. It made more sense to him than some harsh divide. At least, it made him feel less alone.

Perking his head slightly Rowan gave the silver-coated wolf some semblance of a half smile as he waited for the heaviness to drain from his heart. "In any case, my pack will not eat you. That's not to say a wolf won't be questioned if she toes too close to the border - but dinner is usually served later." He gave her a dark-humored grin, before adopting a sincere tone again. If she was going to visit another pack border, he didn't want his reassurances to turn into false information. Especially if she did happen to be greeted by teeth at any point. "And any pack that would... they're likely just trying to protect their own."

Namid 'Star Dancer' It seemed so easy the Rowan dismiss her dissertation of good and evil, and while she knew that stories made the two seem wildly more far apart and theatrical she knew that there was still, in fact, good and evil in the world. The good being wolves like Rowan, who were good spirits and happy to help whomever and speak with whomever, and the evil being the ones that had taken her from her family wrongfully. He seemed to cringe at expressing his opinion, as though he expected her to spit in his face. She would do no such thing and it was a shame that he had that opinion of others, as it showed that that very scenario may have very well happened to him before. Namid, unlike most, loved the opinion of others. It widened her perspective even if a tiny bit every time and provided her with new information on the mental working of others. Afterward, he answered her with assurance that his pack wouldn’t skin her alive for being where she was. That was a weight off her shoulders, and he’d even made a small joke that made her chuckle. Very quickly, though, he made sure to remind her that while his pack may be one of the more lax ones there were still others that would simply do their duty. This made sense to her and she appreciated it, knowing that she too would do whatever she could to protect her family. Obviously, though, it hadn’t been enough because they weren’t with her at that time and her without them. Shaking off that feeling she turned her mismatched gaze to the sky, noticing the fading colors of the atmosphere hinting at the blackness that meant nighttime. She still needed to find some sort of shelter, a place to sleep, and by the time she did that night would likely have fallen. Turning her attention back to her new friend, she felt a sadness at having to leave him behind. She had greatly enjoyed her company and was happy to know that there were others of like-mind out there like her, who thought in much the same was she did. It had been nice to have an intelligent conversation for the first time in a while, but he had his pack to go back to and she had her journey to resume. “Thank you for clearing that up for me, though I think that you too lightly dismiss the existence of good and evil. I am happy to have met a good man such as you and I am sad to have to end our meeting so soon. I have to find shelter for the night, and then continue on my journey. Rowan, I wish the best for you and I do hope that we can meet again someday.” And it was true. It would be a downright shame for them to not speak again, as she felt she had a connection with the yearling. Not romantic, of course, but in a sense of two minds that thought on the same wavelength. Turning, she offered one last bright smile at her new found friend before moving on into the trees. This time, she was more careful not to get tangled up. Though, if it meant finding more wolves like Rowan then she would gladly do it. (exit) Find a place where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.

(This post was last modified: Jul 30, 2014, 05:59 AM by Namid.)

The Attaya boy could only nod as she responded to him. How the Star Dancer made a disagreeing opinion sound so nice, he would never know. Her genuine out-pour of good will had him baffled even further. Where on earth had this kindly stranger even come from? He'd never met anyone so sincere before. Stunned as such he failed on his chance to invite her to stay close by if needed, and even was too slow to recover to return the good wishes as she turned away. Still, Rowan couldn't help but smile as the silvery wolf disappeared from his sight. Her company had been not just comfortable, but pleasant. He thought to entertain the idea of where a wolf so noble, so kind would head in this cruel world - but there was more to be done in Willow Ridge, so he abandoned the folly and returned home.