ANYMORE!

Her words brought a warmth to his heart. To regain both Serra and his family at the same time, what more could he ask for? All those lonely days out in the wilderness. All those days spent alone in the dark of the Mountain's Deep. They where all finally over. Newol had enough to keep himself content for the time being. And then some. His love would stay at his side. True, he felt sorry that she had fallen out with Isokan. It had been her home and the location of her family. It had been what she knew. And now she was without that. But she was by his side, so she would be fine. Because this was the wilderness. This was something he knew. Something he'd known sense the day he was born. That was perhaps the most poetic part of it. Newol had been climbing sense the day he was born. Up hill, one direction.

He still had a long way to go and he knew it, but he was proud of how far he'd managed to come. With Serra at his side, to hold close and wrap himself around and hold tightly, he could bear any hell that may come. Musing his words as he held her up where she leaned against him, he responed to her. ?Thank you.? It was a simple response. But it was all he felt he needed to say. Life was a cold and bitter affair to have to go through alone. He knew that well too. And he didn't have to do it anymore.

The all at once, the wolf who had been called for appeared. The white female who had claimed him. The Healer Erani. She erupted onto the scene before even a moment could be given to ponder the fact that it was her. And with her sudden appearance, a storm of emotions erupted underneath his pelt. Everything that he wanted to keep buried tried to jump forward. All the painful bits. A part of him wanted to bury his face in her side and cry and apologize. Another wanted to bellow at fury and march off into the hills and wage a fekking war for her stolen throne. And another wanted to just ask her why? Why did she have to leave? Ah, but he caught all of those emotions quickly. His eyes closed as a breeze met him, ruffling his thinker than normal fur. Dropping his snout to aim at the ground, he inhaled slowly. Long and deep, filling up his chest as his ribcage expanded. Then, slowly, he exhaled. Calmly, he gaze rose once again to meet this woman before him. He wondered how different she'd find him. Hell, he hardly recognized himself sometimes. Newol had changed and he knew it. The last time he'd seen his adopted mother, he'd been younger. More care free and hot tempered. Before he had been Energy. Now, now he was Fortitude.

Lowering his head in a bow of respect to the woman, he then returned it to its original position and settled a calm expression on his face. For a moment, all he could do was sit there and look at her. Like looking at the ghost of a good dream you'd had once a long long time ago. How long had he hoped and looked? How many days spent growing stronger in the wilderness? And finally, here she was. Was this real? Or was this another bad dream spawned from a heart drowned in longing? No, he had to be sure that this was real before he let himself slip into his emotions. So, stepping forward with one paw, he rose to all fours and advanced to her. Then, reaching up with his snout, he gently brushed it against hers, feeling to see of his passed through her like a ghost. When he didn't, he pressed his forehead against her shoulder and once again took a long inhale of air, a sigh of relief flooding out of him. He could touch it. It wasn't an aberration created to haunt him. Softly, his words left his maw. ?Your real this time... Mom.? At once everything was replaced by content. He had his lost family back again finally.

Not once, but Twice now this world had turned him into a Stray. He wouldn't let it happen again.
"Burn Baby Burn"