The day had only begun to start. Everything was starting to wake up, including a certain fae in the area. Resting beneath the bare branches of a tree was Silent. Curled up in a ball of black fur, she was having another strange dream. This time, as she was sleeping, she was meeting someone from her past. After seeing this person, her heartbeat increased and numerous feelings came back from her younger days. When she got so close to the point where she could touch him, she felt as if she was being pulled back. He began to get further from her and it wasn't until she let out a broken hearted howl did she wake up.
Emerald eyes blinked numerous times as she realized that she wasn't sleeping anymore. With a start, she raised her head to look around and then sighed softly. It had been a dream again, only this time she had gotten closer than before. Now, as she let the cool winds pass her by, she gave a huge yawn and uncurled herself from the fetal position.
Silent stretched all four legs and slowly rose to her paws. A few of her joints cracked, signs of early aging for the once lively wolf. Waking up took longer than it used to, she thought, as she did another session of stretching her front and back legs for emphasis. She didn't want to go around that day feeling like a wound up toy. From her place next to the tree, Silent looked around with a bleary gaze and took in the details. Why she chose this place, she didn't know, but it was the most comfortable location to sleep since she had found this piece of land. As this said land stretched for miles around and in front of her, she realized that was small compared to how big the continent was. A soft chuckle escaped her lips and she moved from around the bare bushes that had kept her secluded from the trail to the beach. "Maybe I'll find some breakfast," she said as she started on a light morning jog.

Song had chosen the wrong tree to sleep under the night previously. Sure it had been innocent enough in the darkness, but now in the early morning light it was awful. A nest of sea birds made their claim even before the sun had peeked over the horizon. Their chattering squealing noises made for a difficult sleeping experience. Song regretted the decision to sleep under this particular tree. Rolling her eyes open she decided it was about time to get up. That didn't mean she was going to stay awake once she found a better place to sleep. Since they made it loud and clear they didn't want her there, she was happy to oblige them. Her porcelain paws carried her away from the airborne havoc, carrying her down a slight hill. She sighed, it was unfortunate her choice of bedrooms. All she had wanted was a nice sleep. She was looking for a nice place to doze off again, but what would happen to her would be something that would go down in her history book of crazy memories. A squirrel fell from the sky and hit her in the head. A loud "oompf" escaped her as the animals body fell to the ground. Dazed for a moment the she wolf glanced with bi colored eyes into the sky. Then they went back to the squirrel, she put her nose to its gut. It was so fresh it could have still been alive. Why was it dead? With closer examination she found gray hairs peppering it's body. She guessed it had just been old. There was no use in wasting perfectly good food, so she started nibbling on its carcass. It must have been some squirrel, because she'd never seen one bigger than him. "talking"

She hadn't expected anything to happen that lonely, wintery morning. Then again, she didn't expect much of anything these days. Silent had become so accustomed to drifting, just floating along wherever her old paws would take her. Although age was evident in the way she moved at times and the patience that could disappear in an instant, her eyes held the fire that still burned in her soul. Maybe this was why she continued to see different places and meet new people as well. A restlessness had taken its place within her body, keeping her on the move until she couldn't take it anymore. As she stood at the end of the trail, she sighed softly and took in a deep breath of salty sea air.
At the end of the grassy trail was where the sand of the beach met the border near her front paws. The view was amazing to her, but then again, she was always a fan of the open ocean. No matter what season, she enjoyed it each time in the heat or chilly weather. As she started to think of her childhood (when her grandmother Ocean would take her away for a day), she heard a soft-pitched thud off to her right. With ears perked and curiosity peeking, Silent took a quick glance back to the outstretched beach before seeking out the noise.
Silent Shadow wasn't just named for her black fur. When she was younger, she had the ability to remain so quiet, people would think she had disappeared. That trait stayed with her as she walked through the bare bushes and nearby trees. A natural path led her towards a break in the underbrush and she saw a white dame not too far off. Silent watched her as she sniffed at the squirrel and began to nibble on the carcass. A dark eyebrow rose and she couldn't help but shake her head. Emerald eyes twinkled merrily as she watched the young lady eat her breakfast (or so Silent assumed). She began to think about the possibility of food as she turned to leave when her stomach gave a giant lurching sound. Silent looked down at her abdomen and chuckled, despite the surprise. She was sure that the dame probably heard it and would notice her firsthand.

Song was suddenly aware of another presence, she was so close that the ivory she wolf was made aware by a rumbling stomach. Her head rushed to look at where the other wolf might be. A chuckle was issued from the newcomer and Song became fully aware. A black wolf stood, observing the younger she wolf ad the odd squirrel. "Goodness ma'am you gave me quite a fright!" She relaxed a bit, had her stomach not give her away Song would have never seen her. She figured the other she wolf was hungrier than she was, "You wouldn't want this would you?" She let her nose point to the fallen squirrel, "I'm not incredibly hungry, but it fell on my head." She smiled, hoping her counterpart would accept the offering. It would be interesting to see if she could exchange a few stories with the old she wolf. "talking"

Her emerald eyes danced with amusement at Song's reaction. She couldn't help but smile as the younger wolf recovered and voiced her surprise. Rather than turn away and ignore the white dame, she turned back to face Song and padded towards her. "I apologize whole-heartedly for that, my dear," she said. Gentle tones rang from her vocals and she lazily wagged her tail to left and right.
Both of Silent's eyebrows rose in her own surprise as Song offered the fallen squirrel. She hadn't been offered a bite to eat in...Lord, how long had it been? Months, perhaps years? Time seemed to blend her days together when she wasn't paying attention. Her thoughts brought her back around to the offer at hand and she was about to answer...except her stomach answered for her instead. Growling with a vengence, Silent's eyes met Song's and she couldn't help but laugh. "I suppose I couldn't turn this away," she said before she padded closer. Once she was a few inches from Song, she lowered her head and began to eat.
The squirrel didn't take long to devour. Pretty soon, there was nothing left but bones and the tail. Silent dug a shallow hole near one of the bushes and pushed the remains in the dirt. She covered the hole back up and patted the small mound before looking at Song with her gentle gaze. "What I can't eat will be available for someone else..or the earth, depending on which one gets it first." Silent raised her head and swept her tail behind her again. "You are a very pretty wolf, young lady. Tell me, what is your name?"

Song had honestly not expected to get a apology for her fright, but she accepted it with a smile and wag of her tail. It really wasn't that big of a deal, Song just realized how much more training she needed. Maybe the other she wolf was just good at being quiet. She was glad that the dark female accepted her gift of food. Truthfully Song would not have finished the meal if she had tried, she was glad to be able to give it to her. The other she wolf seemed light hearted, so Song relaxed a bit. She just felt a little on edge for some reason. She felt better once the squirrel had been disposed of. Into the earth as she had said. Song was glad that even though she ended up with a bit of a bump on the head... the cause of it turned out to be helpful. She blushed a bit at being called pretty, her ears lowered a little to humble herself. "I was named Song." She answered politely, "What might I call you?" She was beginning to settle down, the conversation giving her comfort. Her face held a soft smile as they introduced themselves. "talking"

"Song..that is a lovely name," Silent said. She couldn't help but mirror the smile and relaxed nature that was gracing Song's own features. Since the atmosphere between them was becoming less frosty (which it wasn't in the first place, as far as Silent was concerned), she decided to recline to her haunches. The older she-wolf looked over her shoulder to confirm that she wasn't too close to the nearby bushes. Confirming her thoughts, Silent lowered her bottom half to the frosty ground. Since the sun hadn't hit that area of the world just yet, Silent was met with a cool seat to her rump and hind paws. A gentle sweep of her tail had it curl around her feet and it rested.
It was then that Silent decided to answer the young lady's question. "You, darling, may call me Silent." Her name was simple and had a nice ring to it. Amazing how a six letter word would mean so much for one person to say. Just like the word 'Bronze'...Silent's emerald eyes flashed for a sliver of a second when she thought about her first lover. "Thank you for giving me a bit of breakfast this morning, Song...I didn't realize how much I needed something to snack on." Her ears lightly perked and she continued with what she hoped would be a conversation starter. "What brought you out here on this fine day?"

Song's head would probably explode by the end of their conversation if Silent continued her stream of compliments. Song's smile brightened a bit at the pleasant words that were said about her name. She was quite fond of it, and it was nice to hear that someone else liked it. She calmly watched as Silent got comfortable in front of her, taking a seat a respectful distance from the bushes. She continued on to reveal what she was called. Silent. It was like she and the other she wold were opposites. She was named Song, a word describing sound, colored white. Silent was named of the lack of sound and colored black. "I'm glad I could give it to you." She smiled sincerely, "Did I tell you it fell on my head?" She smiled at the question Silent directed towards her, in truth it was a pretty simple reason, "I've been traveling. I'm new to Alacritis ad I've been exploring the area." She hadn't seen much of the world yet, mostly just the eastern areas. It seemed really beautiful though, the beaches were to die for. It also held something she never expected to find. Cherokee. "talking"

Silent couldn't help but chuckle again at Song's explanation for her morning catch. "Did it now?" she asked teasingly. The tip of her tail moved back and forth at the thoughts of past hunts in her younger days. "I'm sure you will have more experiences with prey that are as fascinating as that." Silent's smile made her face brighten, giving her evidence of the beauty she still carried from her young adulthood. "I can't believe it just fell from the tree the way it did, but-" she shrugged her slender shoulders, "nature has a way of amusing itself sometimes."
Her emerald green eyes continued to look at Song as she explained her reason for being out. The scent that came from her form held more than just one obvious strand of another. As a matter of fact, there were quite a few that clung to the white lady's body. Silent figured that she had met others, aside from her, on her trip and she nodded. "That sounds like a very smart thing to do, Song. I hope you have had a nice trip so far?" A knowing twinkle was evident in the ebony's eyes as she asked her question. "I would enjoy hearing about it, if you don't mind."

Silent's older beauty was evident in each move she made, it was as though she had just gained gracefulness each year she lived. Her smile was infectious and Song was glad to return the expression. It was quite interesting how the squirrel came about, she was eager to see the next meal that would be brought to her. "Amusing indeed." She stated as her paw was brought up to rub her poor head. She listened to the rest of what the she wolf had to say, she seemed curious about her travels. Song was willing to oblige, it seemed she would enjoy her morning with this stranger. "I'd love to tell you, it's been pretty amazing so far." Her words were accompanied by a smile. "I had been travelling for a while, I just left my mother's pack. I knew I didn't want to be out all alone so I found the pack called Ludicael. A wolf called Aria accepted me. I actually haven't spent a lot of time there, I've been enjoying these coastal areas too much." She giggled and took a breath as she readied herself to continue. "The other day I was walking along the beach and a strange wolf came up to me. His name was Cherokee and he had been mostly alone since coming to Alacritis. He just wanted to someone to talk to, but I got a bit carried away and started a game of tag with him." That in itself would have been an interesting story, but it got better the further she went along. "I jumped into a big wave right before sun down, and you know how cold it's been getting at night. Well he decided me being all wet was not acceptable. Before I knew it he had dug me a den and had me all curled up and warm." She smiled fondly at the memory, "Right before we fell asleep, he asked me on a date." "talking"

She listened to the words that fell from Song's lips with keen interest. As the white fae told her of the adventures she recently experienced, mental pictures ran themselves in her mind. Silent could see Song splashing in the waves on that cold day, then curling up close to a tall, dark wolf. Memories of curling up with Bronze in the dead of a winter night crept into her thoughts and she couldn't help but lightly chuckle at the picture of them as younger wolves.
Her emerald eyes alight, they searched the complete openness of Song's face. Emotions - happiness and an eager look about her - were evident with her as Silent spoke in turn. "From what you have told me, it sounds like you have had quite the time so far. Being able to explore is definitely a blessing, considering some wolves don't have the chance to pursue the world. Enjoy the freedom and the company you keep, my dear." Silent's gaze was still warm and shamelessly filled with the tender emotions she had from her exploring days...back when it was fun-filled and a new day was always something she loved. Now, as she spoke to Song, she could silently relish in reliving her days by her words.
"This male named Cherokee..he sounds like quite a character," she said. Silent wrapped her tail around her form on the other side before speaking again. "He also sounds like a true gentleman for making sure you were all right after that cold splash." The black femme couldn't help but chuckle as she thought of Song being completely drenched from head to paw by the wave. "It always seems that people's paths are meant to cross for some unknown reason...but, the good reasons outweigh the bad ones...For that, I think your path was meant to cross Cherokee's. I can't explain why, but I do believe it was meant to happen."

Song was so glad that she actually had someone female to talk to that was so eager to hear anything she had to say. Her light smile dancing playfully on her lips. She was really beginning to like Silent, they met by chance but she was enjoying the pleasant company. Her tail wagged happily as it curled around her sitting frame. She enjoyed talking about Cherokee as well, every time she thought of him her butterflies returned. She couldn't wait to be back in his arms. Song was grateful to take in the she wolf's words. She was much wiser than Song realized and she was appreciative of her advice. Her words of destiny rang true in Song's ears, as she thought of talking to Cherokee of true love. If even Silent could see then it was obviously true. Song's feelings for the knight just increased. "That gives me heart dear, Silent. I want him more than any other wolf. We've just known each other for such a short time." She voiced her concerns to the she wolf opposite her. "I think he's worth it though, taking the chance." She looked to the other she wolf, her mind wandering to future events. "You've been in love before, right?" "talking"

With the way Song talked about her beau, Silent couldn't help but be intrigued about their relationship. The happiness that roved over Song's features and actions as she spoke of Cherokee made it obvious she was smitten. Silent's own heart felt light as she saw the positive vibes that rang from Song's voice and her own heart. She enjoyed the company that she kept with the young white fae, and it was evident in the way she spoke and welcomed Song's part of the conversation.

"It will probably feel that way for a long time. You will never truly realize how much time passes when you're in love. The world continues to spin and seasons come and go, but you can guarantee that once you both know more about each other, the deeper you may fall." Silent couldn't help but keep the smile that remained on her face. "Chances are worth taking, especially when your heart is in it." The euphoria that shined from both females made an invisible feeling of warmth spread over Silent's toes and tail. It reached the rest of her as Song questioned about her own experiences with true love. "Ahhh," she sighed, content with the question and the answer that followed.

"My, oh my, have I had true love? Most definitely! The first one never leaves your heart and stays with you always." She figured it would be all right to share a bit of her history. "I met my true love when I was a pup, a slip of a thing. I was in a pack where my grandmother was the Healer and on the council. The beta and his wife had adopted two boys, one of which was my future husband..." Silent's eyes became glossy, looking as if she would cry. "We played all the time and as we grew, our feelings did, too. After getting married as teenagers, we had our family of four beautiful children..." Her gaze's glossiness faded and she wrapped her tail around her form again. She wasn't sure if she could talk about what happened after that. Apollo's death had hit them hard, causing them to break apart, making a part of her leave with him. "He is and always will be the one for me, even though history doesn't depict it at times..."

She would never know what the future would hold, but that didn't stop her from being excited about it. Fear of the unknown would run rampant through her when she thought about the future before he came along. Now she had a future to look forward to with him, their whole lives lay ahead of them. They could start a family and live happily ever after. Her smile widened as she thought of the prospects. Time would continue to pass as the dark she wolf described so eloquently. She didn't think she would be able to say it any better than she could. She hoped everything she said would come completely true. She could feel the mood shift to something more euphoric, they were enjoying their memories too much. Her tail continued its happy tapping as Silent answered her earlier question. She listened intently as the midnight lady let her have a taste of her history. She was sure that it was something she should treasure. She was almost unsure of asking the question after she saw that small change in the she wolf's demeanor. It was quickly over with as she continued the story. Song wonder silently what might have happened to them. "What a wonderful love story you've lived." Her smile still sat upon her lips. She just hoped that hers would be as wonderful. Her and Cherokee, forever after. "Do you still see your children? That is one aspect of adulthood i'm a bit nervous about. Childbirth frightens me." She divulged the information to Silent, something she had never told anyone before. "talking"

Silent's smile increased its warmth as Song's statement touched her ears. She couldn't help but like the young fae even more. Song was like her when she was younger. Her view of the world was still pure, still held the hope and eagerness of a child who wanted to see it all. From what the ebony fae could tell, she had a sweet heart and wouldn't hesitate to talk or help others who needed the attention. Yes, even before she knew more details about Song's persona, she could tell that the white femme would try to do her best as a mate and mother. Especially to this Cherokee fellow she kept on mentioning. He was a lucky male.
"Ah, my young one, I wouldn't say that," she openly admitted. Her eyes twinkled as she continued. "It wasn't always easygoing and filled with nuzzles and kisses. We went through a lot over the years...tests in life can make the relatonship stronger and, along with faith, you can prevail through anything." Silent didn't want to tell Song about her unhappy moments in life. At least, not at that moment.
When Song inquired about her children and admitted she was afraid of childbirth, that opened another door to Silent's past. She walked through it without hesitation with her answers. "I certainly do, dear Song. I don't see them everyday like when they were younger and eager to travel, but I keep in touch with them at least once a week. I have a lot of them, so, seeing them does my heart good." Her ears perked to Song's voiced fear of having pups and she gently nodded. "I understand why you have a fear for it, Song. The concept of having pups sounds painful, and I won't lie to you, it is. It depends on the wolfess and the toleration level she has for the pain." Silent then lowered her front half to the ground, allowing her stomach to touch the cold earth. She tapped the ground in front of her, indicating an invitation for Song to sit with her. "The actual birthing is painful, but when you see the lives you have brought into the world, you won't remember how long it was or how much pain you had from it. All you will remember is the happiness and love you feel in that moment." Silent mischieviously grinned. "I've had the chance to experience it eight times."

Talking to Silent was such an encouraging endeavor. Her words were a great encouraging lesson, she gave Song excellent advice for her future endeavors. Life would not always be rainbows and butterflies, but if she staid true to her beliefs and to Cherokee they would get through anything. They would definitely be going through some incredible adversities in the future. Song smiled as the she wolf decided to tell her about the children she had borne into the world. It was not with out a bit of hesitation in her voice. Song let herself be lowered to the ground at Silent's direction. She adressed Song's concerns like the mother she was. Her words were true and they comforted her a bit, making her fear seem less extreme. Maybe she would learn to look forward to having babies. SIlent did say she had eight litters, it couldn't be that and if she had done such so many times. Her eyes grew a bit wider at the revelation of all her children, "You must really love them! It doesn't sound quite so scary now, maybe I'll be strong enough to give Cherokee a family." She smiled at the thought, their children would be beautiful. And all that Silent told her made her envious of the love that was shown for her children. Song wanted that too. "They're lucky to have you as their mother." "talking"

"There is no doubt in my mind that you are strong enough, Song," Silent said encouragingly. She believed that, though the fae was young and still naive to some things, she was a smart wolf who could handle whatever was tossed in her direction. "I bet Cherokee feels the same way about you, too. Otherwise, he would be a fool not to." Her emerald green eyes danced with the truth as she spoke of such things. "You may realize that later on, when you are faced with the challenges life will put out there for you, that there is strength within you. It may not seem like it now, but the best of us can be found deep within where others can't reach."
Silent nodded and placed her tail around her left hind paw. As it curled, she perked her ears to the observation Song made. Thinking about each child she had made her heart sore and her tears swell with tears of pride. "Thank you, Song...and yes, I do love them. Each one has their own personality, life, and stories to tell." She breathed in deep and regained the shakiness that had appeared in her voice. "I can't help but be proud of my babies, although they're not babies anymore. As long as they are happy and are free to make their own choices, then I can't ask for anything more for them." Her gaze rested on Song's as she continued. "What are your plans for the future with Cherokee, young one? I am curious to know what you want in life."

Song's ears fell closer to her skull as the flattering words floated into them. She bowed her head in respect to show how humbling it was to hear someone with so much more experience than she say such pleasant words about her. She couldn't help the blush that settled on her face, but she invited the smile that found its way there. With Silent encouraging her she felt like she really could do anything, even tasks she though out of her ability. For instance, the birth of her children. She would have to see what happened after she left the presence of the she wolf, but Song was pretty sure she would absolutely have to have Silent with her when she had babies. Song could see the subtle differences that appeared in the older wolf, her voice a bit shaky and her eyes slightly damp. It seemed Song could hardly stay away from emotional subjects. Though she could feel it too, every word she said made her think of Novel. She had been a great mother, she wished she had not been so easily pressed. There had to be heartache in Novel's being after Song had run away. They had been close, and her mother adored her. Maybe Novel would come to forgive her some day. The tables were turned on her and it was Song's turn to answer the question, what did she want out of life? For a time she had not been so sure, "You know, I wasn't sure before I met him. I was kind of just wandering through life, but since I've found him all I want to do is spend the rest of my life with him. I want to make a family with him." The words were pleasant as they rolled off her tongue, and she knew them to be true. Her tail wagged at the thoughts. It was a wonderful dream to have. "talking"

Silent could tell that she was flattering Song. The fact was that Silent hadn't met anyone lately who had been so...sweet-natured and good-hearted. By meeting Song, she knew that there was a good in her that not many wolves could claim as their own. The eagerness she had for her future plans with her soon-to-be mate and their high chance of having puppies made Silent very happy indeed. Maybe it was because she was getting up in age herself, considering a relaxing life with her own one and only. That is...if they ever agreed on being together as a couple again. Aside from her haunting thoughts of Bronze, the dark-furred fae knew that she already adored Song. Despite the short amount of time, from just talking with her, she felt like she had known her longer.
She listened to Song as she spoke of the plans she had for her future. Being with Cherokee and perhaps starting a family. It was the type of dream that made you want to say, 'Aww'. Silent remembered the dreams she had had as a young adult. She had felt the world could be hers, but she wanted Bronze even more. His love and their family were all she wanted and needed...until fate played hard ball and changed all of that. Now, as Silent listened with perked ears, she couldn't help but see a small bit of her former days in how Song acted and spoke of her own life. "Those plans don't seem too far to reach for, Song. When you know in your heart that those choices are the right ones, then it is more than likely the ones you know you will want to live with. The choices you make today will effect where you stand in the future. Trust me...I know all about those." Her smile revealed a few pearly white canines, still intact and eager to be used. Food was getting closer to her mind and that was something Silent intended on having for her future.

Song had few friends in Alacritis, but she was beginning to realize that the wolves she had met up with were becoming her new family. She would never be able to live with out Cherokee, in fact she was unsure what she had done with out him before. She was quite sad she had let him out of her site, but she was glad to have the opportunity to have the chat with Silent. Song had every intention of keeping the older she wolf in her life as long as she could. Her advice was invaluable, and her encouragement priceless. Song had full intentions of making Silent her adoptive mother. She had to have someone for her children to call grandma. Song wished that her mother could have seen her. Would she have been proud of how she turned out? Probably not, her whole life's purpose had been to rule the pack her mother held. Now she had no intentions of ever being the leader. All she wished was to live in peace with Cherokee and raise their family together. Would Novel had thought her future as noble an endeavor? She hoped. Song smiled at the she wolf, even though her thoughts were an incredible mess of what ifs. Maybe Silent would be able to shine a light on her predicament, she knew she would have the answer. She knew what the answer would be as well, the only way Song would know how her mother thought was to ask Novel, but that was hardly a real option for her. "I know their the right choices, it's just some of them can be so difficult." She wanted to tell Silent more about her past, to let her have some insight about where she had come from. "Sometimes I wonder if my mother would approve of them though. This was not where she wanted me to end up." "talking"