The sun beat down on the small grey figure, his fur felt uncomfortably hot, paw pads felt like they were burning, mouth dry. He had been walking for...well, he couldn't tell really. All he knew was that the sun was relentless today. Or perhaps for the whole summer...he wasn't sure. He wasn't from these parts, and most of the time he didn't know how hot it could get outside...though he had been through worse. Locked up in a dark den with nothing but the silence, the beating of his own heart, and the desolate despair that always clenched his heart. When he was locked up during the summer, heat would be trapped in with him, and the earth would heat up, making it feel as if he would cook alive sometimes. When he was finally let out after god knew how long, he would do whatever he could to stay out of the way of his parents, and be as obedient as he could...but it was never enough. They would always find an excuse to punish him...each punishment different, sometimes worst then the last. When he was locked up during the winter, or forced to sleep outside in the snow and ice, he had at times, almost never woken up. The cold practically freezing him over and nearly stopping his heart. How he had survived such miserable conditions, was beyond him. He didn't understand why he was made to suffer in such a way...why the Gods above would let such things happen to him, or why they didn't just let him die. But each time he was close to that realm of darkness, he was brought back to push on and endure.

At some point, he had escaped from that life and went on the run. In the dark of night, he had made his escape. He knew his parents would come looking for him...unless they found his dead body, they would hunt him until they found him just to bring him back into that life of misery. He couldn't take it anymore. He refused to return to that life again...it was something no wolf should ever go through. He wouldn't wish it on his worst enemies!

Paws stopped on the hard baked ground. He looked up, ears half perked with weariness as he saw a body of water in front of him. He had little strength to even wag his tail at the pleasure of finding some kind of salvation. Slowly, he made his way to the water and stepped into it. His small and ragged pitiful body barely making a ripple on the surface. He lowered his small head, his tongue breaking the surface of the clear water. After a couple laps, it felt cool in his throat, and so began to drink greedily. He couldn't remember the last time he had drunk anything fresh. Or eaten anything fresh for that matter...he couldn't hunt, didn't know how to. So he would scavenge remains from others, and drink from silted puddles that he would find, afraid of being out in the open for fear his old pack was looking for him. After several minutes of nonstop drinking, he raised his head and sighed a little. Water dropped onto his forelegs as he looked around hesitantly for a place where he could cool off. Just a few yards away, there was a fallen log that was resting halfway on top of a rock that jutted out from the ground. He wandered over and went under, laying his body down and resting his head on his small paws. His dull eyes roamed the surface of the lake. He could see other wolves on the other side, and he hoped they didn't see him. He sighed, the damp floor cooling his body, his tail tip touching the very edge of the water as it lazily rippled with the warm breeze. Why couldn't the world be as peaceful as it was now?

It was a summer day, hot, no, sweltering. His body was hot, his throat dry, and he was starting to get worn down. The only thing that had the wolf still moving forward was a single scent. The scent of water. He could already taste it on his tongue -- though he couldn't feel it soothing it just yet. Lime green eyes lifted to see what was ahead of him. The water was just ahead now. It had seemed to take forever for him to get close. But finally his weary walking had brought him to the lake.

Kar didn't stop moving until he was chest deep in the water. He lowered his head, lapping up the cool liquid. His body already felt better, well, except for his tired paws. He had traveled father today than he would have thought... but that was alright. After his fill Kar walked back to the shore, shaking his body free of water.

'Much better.' He thought. He looked around, spotting a wolf around his age resting in the shade. Slowly Kar walked over to him, keeping his head lowered and his ears pricked up. A few feet away he came to a stop, a warm, friendly grin on his face.

"Hello there. I hope you don't mind me talking with you. I'm Kar... who might you be?"

As his eyes began to drift in the heated summer air, a voice broke the silence. Jerking him out of his barely calming state. His eyes flew open and instinctively his body scrambled back, his back hunched and head low as he looked around wildly for the owner of the voice. Once his eyes found it, he kept wary eyes on the stranger. Though he didn't look dangerous, he was still unsure...one never knew what the intentions of another were. His heart beat wildly within his small ragged body, dull and tired eyes resting on the other wolf standing nearby. Sooty ears half perked towards the newcomer, unsure. He swallowed, this new guy certainly didn't seem threatening...in fact, he seemed quite friendly...But even so, poor Mako couldn't help but to feel insecure and afraid.

Slowly, he inched his head up as he made to reply "Erm...I...I'm Mako...it's..nice to m..meet you Kar." He replied quietly. He didn't feel like he had any reason to be afraid, this other boy seemed nice enough...as was Demonio and Maka, two others he had met in Valhalla not too long ago. He wondered if Kar belonged to a pack, and if not, then he wondered if he could trust him enough to make a request...He waited quietly as he slowly made his way out of his hiding place to sit try and make a more confident appearance, but failed.

The poor wolf's reaction was one of fear. He scrambled back, dropping into a submissive state. A worried from crossed Kar's muzzle. Such a quick drop to submission like that definitely hinted at abuse. Kar wasn't one hundred percent familiar with how abuse could affect a wolf's mind and cause him to be jittery... but he knew that it could psychologically damage them and make it hard for them to trust others. Lime green eyes met with the wary eyes of the stranger. He didn't move, not wanting to startle the other young male further. Instead Kar let his warm, reassuring smile cross back onto his face as his tail swayed slowly back and forth behind him. 'He looks really worn down...' Kar thought, continuing to analyze the other male.

Finally the other male got up the courage to give a quiet reply. "Likewise, Mako." Seeing that the other male was making his way out of his hiding place the gray brute sat down and curled his tail around his paws like much a cat. "It's alright you know. I'm not an enemy of any kind, or even a pack wolf. You're safe with me." Kar spoke the words calmly, a bright, friendly look shining in his eyes. He didn't want the other to be afraid. He wanted Mako to be at ease and feeling comfortable enough to talk to him. "Pardon me if I'm being a bit bold but... what are you hiding from?" The brute frowned. "Well... more importantly... do you need help getting away from it?"

Grey and white matted body slowly relaxed when the boy before him spoke. Telling him that he wasn't there to harm him, that he wasn't with a pack or enemies or anyone harmful...at least, he didn't seem harmful. He looked down at his paws, embarrassed that he had made it obvious that he was afraid when Kar had approached. He kept his gaze on the ground, ashamed. Then his ears perked a little in Kar's direction, his sorrowed eyes now filled with fear as he glanced around Wildly. As if expecting someone to come jumping out at him any moment. The question had alarmed him, woken up more fears within the cowering child.

"I..." he closed his mouth again, wondering how to reply...could he trust this stranger? He could couldn't he? He...he had to. Who else was there to trust? He opened his mouth once more, deciding that he would. Kar had asked if he needed help getting away from it, whatever it was. Was he willing to help him? "I'm running from...my family...my mother and father to be more precise..." his legs grew a little shaky, his shoulders hunched again the more he thought and spoke. "I...I ran away...couldn't take it anymore...please...don't let them find me...I can't go back there..." his tone became pleading, begging. Tears fell from his eyes as his body collapsed to the ground, his head buried underneath his paws as his body became racked with shuddering cries. His teeth gritted together as he tried to hold it in, but failed miserably. Help...it was what he needed, and needed badly. Would Kar be the one to save him? Or at the very least...help him from being taken away again? He couldn't go back to his ex pack...not to her. He would rather die before that came...

Kar furrowed his brow as the other young male began to speak. Running from his family... well, moreso his mother and father. What cruel things had the two done to their son to make him want to run away from home? Kar flicked his ears back, seeing the poor wolf shake and fall. His tears were what truly stirred the feeling in Kar's heart. This male needed his help... and he would be damned if he was to deny him that help. "I'm not going to let them get to you." Kar leaned down, nudging the other wolf gently. "You won't be going back there ever again. Not while I'm around." Kar sat down before the other wolf, a gentle smile crossing his face. "It is something you can count on, Mako, I promise." His goal was set and Kar was determined not to fail this wolf. What he needed was a friend... and a friend Kar would be. Speech, Thought

Mako's small body would shudder as the boy sobbed into the dirt. Everything in the world to him, was just cruel. What did he do to deserve it? "I'm not going to let them get to you." Mako stared at the ground, his sniffling would stop as he then felt something touch him. Slowly he would raise his head to look at Kar, the tears ceasing a flow as the gentle smile from the other boy began to calm him. His ears would slowly perk forward, taking in what he continued to say. "You won't be going back there ever again. Not while I'm around...."It is something you can count on, Mako, I promise." Those words...they sounded very much filled with truth. Mako wanted so badly to believe him, but could he? He would continue to look at Kar, and slowly he would sit up and his tail wagged slightly. He could trust him. If not him, then Mako wouldn't be able to trust anyone.

Tentatively, Mako reached out to Kar. Touching his nose in a "Thank You" kind of manner. The tears stopped, and Mako slowly began to smile for the first time that he could remember. Dipping his head to the young boy, he spoke. "Th...thank you Kar...you're the first one who has...ever said that they'd help me...I am...in your debt...Friend?" He hoped that Kar would keep to his word, hoped that he wouldn't let him down like everyone else had. Hoped...that Kar would be his friend, and be someone he could confide in.





talk, think

Kar's heart lifted as Mako looked up to him, beginning to trust in his words and actions. Mako was a wolf who needed help, and Kar was certainly willing to give it. Plus he thought if the cause was great enough even Zanire might lend a paw. Kar chuckle softly as the other young male touched his nose. He knew what the wordless gester meant. "Yes, friends." Kar spread a large smile across his muzzle. "But you are never in my debt. As long as you are my friend and I am yours my words will hold true. I'll protect you, Mako. Just say the word and I will be there." The gray and black wolf gently bumped his head against Mako's. "...and friendship is the greatest possession any wolf can have. Debts mean little to me, as long as I have my friends I have nothing to worry about." Kar had a thought. "How would you feel meeting a bear someday, Mako? The one I know is really nice... and she is learning to speak wolf. She is a good friend and a travel companion. I guess either way you're bound to meet her at some point." The wolf gently nudged Mako's shoulder, trying to encourage him to come out from under the rocky overhang. Speech, Thought