cherry flavored candy
Song and Garthinaw, her dear mother and father, were now far away. She wouldn't be offered their comfort anymore, she wouldn't have a loving mother or father to nuzzle up to anymore. They were gone. And she was still so young, too. But this was okay with her. They had offered to take her with them, after all. Of course, she would have loved to go along with them. It would have been lovely to stick alongside her mother and father...but she knew there was more to see and more to do in this beautiful place. Though she was fragile, gentle, she'd be okay on her own. That's what she told her mother and father at least. They had parted as a family on a good note. And she had hoped she would see their loving faces once more. Maybe when she was older, they would come again? Or maybe she would go to them? They meant so much to her. After all, growing up, she didn't have any siblings her age to play with. They were all she had. Seeing them again, after this long period of time...it would make her so happy. "Ah!" A high-pitched squeal had startled her from behind, but had almost instantly hoarded all of her attention, as she twisted her little body around and crouched low into the grass. The little sound was heard again, coming from a little patch of grass. Arivae slowly crawled over and towered over the spot, only to see a small, plump bird. It looked like it could have been a finch. It was toppled over onto it's back, flailing out weakly, and craning it's head at an awkward angle. The young dame gasped in horror, quickly lying down right beside it. Her innocent eyes examined it's limb body helplessly. From what she could hear it's breathing was ragged and hoarse. Was it...dying? The dark girl shook her head and leaned her head down, nudging the bird gently. "You'll be alright, little bird. I'll..." Arivae lifted her head and searched for something...maybe some type of herb to help? As a pup, she knew nothing about herbs. And it was winter! But she wanted to help this poor little creature. It was in pain! The young girl rose to her feet and sprinted off in a hurry. Her eyes scanned the snow-covered bushes, the trees, the little bundles of grass that popped out of the snow. Nothing here seemed useful. Nothing, not even after several moments of rushing up and down the mount. So, all she could manage to do was grab some moss, soak it with water, and try to warm the bird all she could. Arivae skidded to a stop after rushing back down the hill with wet moss grasped in between her jaws. She pulled herself to the ground and crawled over to the bird. But it's eyes were lifeless, and it's chest refused to rise and lower with each breath. The young dame shook her head and nuzzled the bird helplessly. "Hey, hey...you're okay!" She laid down and curled around it's tiny, lifeless body, tears wetting her face. It was strange...for a wolf to ever be so caring toward a dying and now dead bird. When she still lived with her mother and father, she had always loved to chase the birds that sat in front of her den. She loved the way they flew...how their feathers were so beautiful. The young girl had never pictured them as potential food. More like companions...and to see one of these beautiful little creatures dead before her eyes. It caused sadness to rack her body horribly. After all, she was still a pup. There were a lot of things she had yet to understand. "Don't die..." |