The past few days had been hard for the young brute. He was trying the best that he could, but the stresses and strains that now were a part of his life where something he was still having to adjust to. It was funny actually. He had been so used to being a Rouge and now it was hard. Now that he wanted a pack, his home was gone. This was made no easier by the fact that the one who had done this to him had been a wolf that he had once liked. Newol didn't like the way things sat. He didn't want to be the one who conducted things. But now, if Valhalla, his Valhalla, was to rise again... It would be his paws that did the leg work. He always figured that he would find home. But now it looked as if he was going to have to make home. Somehow. And that is why he had come here to these caves again. Ones he had meet a beautiful she wolf here, in what now felt like a dream of a past life. Tired paws crossed cold stone as he remembered. It had been so simple then. Life was happy and welcoming. Now he sat staring down a dangerous road with no clue what awaited him down it. This wasn't how his story was supposed to go, damnit, he thought to himself. He was just a whispwhisp of a much bigger picture. Just a stray trace of the chapters of Zaraidd. None of that glory was supposed to be his to earn. He wasn't even supposed to be a Zaraidd anymore. He'd been adopted. He had a new last name now. Adravendi. But none the less he faced something of that scale. And history would demand he act accordingly. But the scope of it all, that is what sat on him so heavily. Though it was mid day, he hadn't found sleep in hours and hours. Finding same pool from before, the one with the stone bottom and tranlusant water in the dim cavern system, he laid down. But his head remained up. So much to think ad out as he calmly looked out at the water. He found himself wondering. What path shall I take? Conquerer, or Builder?

Large paws would walk her across the lands, finally she would leave the soulsand cove, deciding perhaps that her family would never return again. The girl though broken, would try to hold herself high should she come across another. Fiery amber eyes would keep a lookout, a shred of hope still lingering in her heart for the return of her family, but with each step she took farther from her adopted home, the more her heart would hurt. She missed her father, her mother, her siblings, her family. The pack she had lost to another, and little would she know it was former Valhallans that had stolen it away and given it to a tyrant. Oh how cruelly the fates liked to toy with the lives of many.



She had wandered towards a cavern that she had remembered only vaguely, seeking to find solitude away from the world. The dampened scents would draw her forth, into the depths of the cavern that would hide away another stranger who hurt as she did. Though she would not notice until she had drawn closer, his scent growing stronger. She would pause, peering through the shadows of the cavern. Damp scents of lingering water breached her, and the scent of another. Slowly she would move forward, paw steps as quite as possible. Long fur sweeping gently with the cool breeze against her frame, and it was then she saw another figure. "H-hello?" That would be the only thing to leave her mouth, for she was unsure whether he would be friend or foe.

So lost in thought was he, that the brute didn't even notice the female's approach. It was somewhere in a combination between exhaustion and contemplation that he's sense had wandered off. However, here, in this peaceful place, her appearance wasn't enough to cause him to react violently, but that was perhaps also thanks to the exhaustion. So he merely remained where he was laying on the floor. Turning his head, his expression still calm, the eyed her. A big woman with glowing yellow eyes. It took him a moment to process just what he beheld. Fate had a way of being a cruel mistress yes, but her rebellious sister was Coincidence, who fought to counteract this. Because the woman that Newol beheld was probably the most gorgeous wolf he'd seen yet in Alacritis. And before her sat Newol, with his own high pedigree.

But she seemed troubled by something, and that Newol understood too. It was mid day outside, but here in the dark and dim cave, with the soft blue light reflecting off the water, it felt like it was late. Very late. So the brute had nothing on his mind other than to simply remain and be calm. Finally his voice met the stone walls, easy and soft, with a hint of welcome in his words. "Relax." a hint of a smile came to his scared muzzle. "This is a sanctuary." Hopefully those words would be enough to set her at ease.

The figure would turn to her, his features remarkably handsome as were the scars upon his muzzle. His old battle woulds(or she assumed) were quite attractive, and reminded her a bit of her father. Fiery amber eyes watched him, cautiously at first until she figured he might be too exhausted to try and do anything to her. She was still wary, though it was lessening since her escape from Amentian slave life. She stepped forward little by little, her feathery plumage was lifted slightly above the ground, just gently caressing her hocks as she moved forward. His voice would utter a few simple words, and she felt a bit of safety and comfort in them. Gazing about, she would feel the relaxing calm of the cave. But still, she would remain slightly tensed. It wasn't often she interacted with others, but slowly and surely she was trying.



"I hope I'm not intruding. My name is Avalon, is it okay if I stay here for a little while? I've been traveling a lot." She would respond simply, her voice sounding a little tired, but not as much as she felt. Indeed, her paws were weary from searching out her family, and she was afraid it was all in vain. She had found no scent nor sign of them, and she wondered if this stranger perhaps knew about any of their whereabouts. But that thought would quickly fly out the window, why would he know? Perhaps she was just getting her hopes up too much, so instead of asking a rhetorical question, she would slowly slide down to her belly, welcoming the coolness of the ground beneath her.

Intro - The XX

She seemed to relax just a little bit, and this in turn allowed Newol to relax even more. He guessed this was one of those moments his sister had talked about. One of those few moments where you got to breath. And to make matters even better, he got to share it with a stranger, a very attractive stranger at that. She didn't feel threatening to him, in fact, she seemed to be just as tired as he was. Perhaps she was going through something a little similar to his own struggles. It was very possible seeing as these where darker days. The world outside didn't seem quick as beautiful as the brute remembered it when he first arrived. She introduced herself, and the name that fell from her lips landed upon Newol's ears with something of a musical grace. Avalon... He liked that name.

But next she questioned him as to weather or not she could stay. Stay here, like this was his sanctuary to govern. No. He was not the governing type who wished to control land. All of those sorry bastards where outside. Newol wanted people to be happy. He wanted the sun to shine again. So with a yawn, he rose to his feet and stretched, pulling back first to get his front legs, grunting his words as he did so. "Of course. Your no bother to me." Next he pulled forward, stretching his back legs aswell. Then, with a shake, he took a few steps to the pull, lowering his head to lap from transparent crystal water. Saying that name in his head again as he did so. Avalon. Once he'd finished, he lefted his head from the water, a few traces left where it had soaked into his chin. Without looking back, he uttered in the same calm voice. "I'm Newol."

And with that, he lowered himself to his rump. His head rose as his eyes closed, and his nose aimed at the stone above them. How dip into the mountain where they, he wondered to himself as he inhaled deeply and slowly, taking his time to fill his chest with oxygen and savor the moment. After a long exhale into the air, he once again looked at the she wolf, turning where he sat so that his side was to her and not his back. "What brings you?" was all he uttered. He was under the impression that you only came this far in to get away from the world outside for awhile. As he said, this place was a sanctuary.

He seemed to be relaxing, her own muscles still slightly stiff though the cool of the ground was easing them into a looser grip as she finally decided to stop being so wary. If he had really wanted to hurt her, she was sure he would have done it already. Or rather, tried. The cool silence within the cavern was rather calming, the femme breathed a quiet sigh as she exhaled a deep breath to calm her nerves. She would have to get used to being around others again, but it was still so hard when the last ones she had met were the ones who nearly ripped her to pieces in the war. If not for Gretel's brother, she was sure Amenti would have done more damage then just to her hind leg. The wounds had finally healed, the limp there but hardly. Her left hind leg held a few scars from Canttina's bite nearly a year ago, but it hindered her none. The ghosts of her past would often haunt her, causing her to see little beauty in the world nowadays. She was sure that if her family were still around, if Gargoyle was still here...she would see things in a different light. Perhaps she would have never been kidnapped, never hurt, never lost. But here she was, a lost soul in the wake of a stranger. Quietly, she watched the stranger rise and stretch. The girl nodding in thanks as she yawned. She was tired, but she would not rest in the presence of the stranger, it would be quite rude for her to do. Without turning to her, he would tell her his name. Newol. Now that was quite different, but was he as handsome as his namesake? She waited till he turned, fiery eyes resting upon his visage when he finally did so. "It's...nice to meet you, Newol." Her voice smooth yet containing a hint of hesitance that she barely kept hidden. Why was she still so afraid of others? Of course she already knew the answer to that, her past would never leave her alone...not without the right guidance to make her forget, anyway. She watched him in silence a bit longer, wondering if she was making the situation awkward for not talking much. But perhaps he would understand? Or maybe he already did...? He was quiet himself as well, so maybe she wasn't alone in her thoughts after all. Finally, he would ask her a question. Her eyes gazing at the small pool of water near Newol before she glanced up to respond. "Well, I guess you can say I just...wandered here. I have no home, it was stolen a long time ago. So I'm alone, searching." Searching for what? Family? The thought was still filled with hope, but ridiculous all the same. They were scattered, gone even. And she alone in the world now. Alone in a cavern with a male who seemed to have seen his share of the world as well. Both the ugly side, and the beautiful...though she had yet to seen the latter. "And you? What brings you here, Newol?" She liked the way his name rolled off her tongue, it was easy, simple, yet different. Talk like this

Intro - The XX

Newol studied the female closely as she looked thoughtfully at the pool for a moment, considering her words. And the brute understood too. He'd asked her a fairly personal question. But he didn't want to be a stranger. Not here. Not in this place. Especially not with this she wolf. Call it what you would, but it was the nature of these caverns. And finally, when she started speaking, something of a smile finally made it's way to the brute's maw. He found comfort in what she had to say. Not in the misery and pain, the suffering she must have been through, no. But comfort in that even here, in the darker of times, it was still possible to find someone who could understand you, and you could understand. He also know what it meant to listen too. He'd been shown.

But it was that final statement that caught him. That final statement was wrong. Incorrect. He knew that too. He knew that because that also was something he'd been shown. And then, finally she got around to questioning him about the reasons as to why he was here. And now was his chance to return the favor that had been given him not that long ago, and set her heart at ease as his had been. Raising to his feet, he moved over to her, laying down facing the water, still a respectable distance in between the two. Looking out, his voice broke the silence again, stating his own reasons for taking sanctuary here. "My home was stolen from me too. By none other than the first wolf I ever met in this land, and a wolf that I had liked at one point..." He gave her a moment to consider what he had just said, to allow that a moment to sink in.

Then, he turned to met her gaze head on. There was a calm confidence in his voice as he spoke. "You are not alone, Avalon. You are Lost. And there is comfort to be found even when you are lost, and it's in those who are lost with you." Newol hoped she would find comfort in these words. They where from his soul, something he believed in. Home. That damned word was the cause of so much pain right now. It drove the brute sick. But perhaps, one day, Avalon and he could both go home again.

Avalon

Amber gaze watched as he came to lie beside her. Her eyes watching him, she was no longer feeling wary for it was his words that would calm the rage and pain that filled her soul. She would listen to him as he told her that he too, had his home stolen. He would meet her gaze, his green eyes full of wisdom she knew had been attained through the trials and tribulations he had been through in his life. Would she ever look that wise someday? She had been through alot...kidnapped, enslaved, damaged both mentally and physically. And yet she was still standing. Her heart still wanting to fight for what had been lost long ago. "Thank you, Newol...I understand that I am not the only one who feels this way. Although it has been a long time since...I've been able to talk to anyone for fear...not since..." She would bite her lip, her ordeal nearly slipping from her tongue. How could she tell him? He would see her as weak for sure, that she hadn't been able to fight back then. She was still inexperienced, but perhaps with help...his help...she would succeed. She would take in a deep breath. He was pouring his heart out to her, wouldn't it be right for her to do the same? She glanced at him, eyes blurry as they began to grow teary at the memories. Her heart pounded painfully against her chest, throat tightening as she prepared herself to tell him. He would be the only one that knew, the only one that she would share this with. It was something she wanted to forget, but she kept it bottled within her breast every day and she was sure that one day she would erupt with the pent up memories and emotions, and she was afraid one day it would drive her to the brink. "When...I was younger...just barely a year old...I had been kidnapped when I was exploring in the North. I wandered from our temporary home, the place we chose to reside after my father had been defeated when he once ruled Glaciem. Then we moved to claim Tortuga, and that had been taken too. I...I couldn't fight back against her. I was too young, so I ran. She hurt me...she dragged me back. I thought I'd never see my family again." During her tale, her voice would waver. A tear sliding from her eyes as she fought to calm herself. Her eyes would seek out the pool once more, unable to look at him as she feared her emotions would make her breakdown. "I was torn away from my family...enslaved...treated like not a live being, but an object. Tortured, starved, beaten everyday...it was horrible...I still get nightmares about it...my only friend, another slave." Her body shuddered, now unable to contain the pain that she had endured. It felt painful and good to finally let it all out. But would he understand? She was sure he would, he seemed to understand more then she did about life. Tears would slide down her eyes, the girl sobbing as she struggled to keep composed, though ending in complete failure.

Intro - The XX

Avalon finally seemed to untense and allow herself to be at ease. With that, Newol was finally able to let all his own tension fade from himself. Everything was at ease. That was, until, the she wolf allowed what was locked inside of her to break free. And that certainly caught his attention. It was all too recently that he had done the same to his sister. Allowed all the hate and anger free, and let someone know just how wrong he felt all of this was. But, perhaps, she knew a thing or two more about pain than he did. But what he lacked next to her in knowledge of pain, he made up for in knowledge on how to deal with pain. Perhaps, though, it wasn't fair to compare the two in such a way. Newol was the one who thought at a rate of speed few could understand when his brain really fired off. So as she told her story, he just laid there and watched, listened. Let her get it all out of her system. And he admitted that he didn't like what he heard. There where things that he hated. Among them where slavery. It was a wrong practice for several reasons. But he admitted that there was nothing really he could do about it. Not with everything else that sat on his plate. One soul alone couldn't destroy all the darkness. But one soul alone was still very dangerous to it. Because one soul could use their light to ignite as many more as it could, which would then ignite more. And before too long, there would be dozens and dozens of little candles biting at the shadows' heels. This much he understood. The Slavery wasn't his fight to pick. But maybe some day it would be someone's. Darkness was good like that, it always had a knack for eventually crossing that one soul you really shouldn't have fekked with. The words still echoed in his brain.

Know this, my child. This could be your most important lesson, if you choose to apply it properly. The world is tough, so you have to be tough. You should always strive to be a good soul and leave things better than how you found them, but this is what you must know. You are not a savior. You Don't Have To Forgive.

He knew what that meant now. Some bad souls couldn't learn their lessons until they'd been held accountable for their actions. Some had to have their paw burned to a crippling point to truly learn that the fire always won. And this wolf, Avalon. She had been witness to this kind of bad soul. A lot of Alacritis had. But she finally had that off her chest now. And there was pain. And that pain struck a cord inside Newol. He might now be able to fix the world, but damnit, he could fix this! So he allowed her a moment. He allowed her a second to cry, and to grieve. Then, without saying a word, a comforting smile came to his face, and warmth felled his eyes. He leaned his head over and gently placed his nose under her chin, and softly lifted his snout until he'd brought her chin up high above where had been. For a second he was merely silent, and just looked to meet her gaze, then in a warm voice, he simply said, "It goes there." Then, he moved his nose away, and returned his gaze to all of what was beside him. A gorgeous she wolf. Her story was much different than his, but they both collided into the same road. A dusty and dangerous dirt back road that lead to home.

After another quiet moment, he spoke again. "You've been through alot, Avalon. But look. You are still here. Your still alive. You still have a chance to rise up above all the darkness of your past and not just survive, but thrive. And that is the greatest act of deviance of them all." And with that, he again returned his gaze to the pull before them. How long had it been? How long had it been now sense the voice of the wolf who had birthed him had entered his head? She'd had to make a tough sacrifice to insure that her child got a fighting chance in the world. But that choice was not in vain. But he'd gained a new mother in Erani. There was light in this world. It just had to be fought for, and clung dearly to. That thought made him turn his gaze back to this wolf Avalon beside him. What was it about her? For some reason, something about her, It made Newol happy. Even in a time like this, even now when everything lied in ruins. He was content here with her.

The tears would quake her large frame. The last memories of her family that she could remember flashing in her mind. Playing with her siblings on the beach...her first hunting lesson with her father....the remnants of her pack mates faces lingered before her, when everything was perfect. Before she had lost everything. The tears slid down her face in quick succession, body shuddering as she released everything held for many seasons. She tried so hard to keep silent, but each moment her crying grew a little louder. Her chest hurting, her heart in pain. She wasn't sure how she had survived so long on her own. Nobody had been there for her after her ordeal, she had learned to be independent, yet needing someone there all the same. She wished she was a child again, safe in the paws of her parents and nestled among her siblings. The perfect family that had once been unbroken, yet they had been shattered. Her teeth gritted, eyes squeezing shut as her head came to rest hidden against her paws. She felt bad for crying in front of the man...for fear that he would see her as weak and walk away just like everyone else. But to her surprise, that had not happened. A touch so gentle, so soothing would place itself upon her. Her head would slowly lift, the girls eyes opening to stare at the face of the man who was slowly beginning to soothe her. "It goes there." Eyes gazed upon him as his touch pulled away from her, her own crying ceasing as her body quieted. The tears would continue to silently fall, trickling down her face as she slowly began to quell them. His green gaze would find her dull amber one. Her own gaze had once been lit with fire, and it seemed to have quelled to no more then the embers of a dying flame. He was quiet for what seemed like forever, but she didn't mind. It was in the silence she was realizing, that she and him were one and the same. He had been through his own ordeals, and he was helping her. She wondered for a fleeting moment if he realized this or not, for her mind began to calm as did the atmosphere around them. Everything she had seen, everything that had made her hate the world and see nothing but darkness, was fading away. "You've been through alot, Avalon. But look. You are still here. Your still alive. You still have a chance to rise up above all the darkness of your past and not just survive, but thrive. And that is the greatest act of deviance of them all." Her heart would seem to catch. The tears that fell from her amber gaze ceasing to exist, the last teardrop falling into the space between them. He was right. She knew he was. He spoke with all the truth in the world, and for once in her life...she felt that she could trust someone. That she could trust him. She swallowed back the pain, the regret, the hurt, the darkness that had threatened to consume her. The anger disappearing as she watched him. She watched as he looked at the pool that sat just feet away. Watching the scarred male that had been so open. And in just the short time they had been here...she felt something she had not felt with anyone. He had shown her, that not everyone was bad. For as soon as she had gotten here, he had shown her kindness. And she herself, had opened up to him. A stranger, no longer a stranger. He understood. He looked at her again, and slowly, she would feel the fire return to her. It ignited within her heart, returning her passionate gaze into what it had been before all of this. And it was because of him, that she was capable of doing so. She nodded to him, thanking him it seemed. And she was grateful for his presence now, her hesitance and wariness melted away without her realizing, and before she realized what she was doing, she would reach across and bury her face into the fur on his neck. Head resting on the cool ground as her eyes closed. "Thank you, Newol...you've saved me. You helped me hold onto hope...I was ready to give up. Ready to give into the anger and misery of the world...ready to fall into the grasp of death. But now...now I know I am not alone." She would whisper to him, pressing her nose deeper into him. Inhaling his scent, his presence soothing. Her soul calmed, her mind at ease. What would she have done had she never come across him? Sure, they only just met. But touching him, being near him...it ignited something she had thought lost seasons ago. The flame returned surely but slowly, the embers stoked and her fire would soon return. Her father had been strong. Her mother had been strong. She would not allow herself to fall prey to the darkness that had overtaken them. Wherever they might be, she would make them proud. She would fight with everything she had, until the world took her down. And even then, she would not go down without a fight. She would vow then and there, in silence, to protect and aid those who had no one there for them. She would rise to be a savior for those who were left behind. For those who were forgotten. She was the daughter of Gargoyle and Ocena...she would carry on their name. Her bloodlines were strong. And with a new purpose, she would grow strong again even in her weakest of times. Like now. Newol had helped her in her most desperate time. He understood, for it seemed he had been there in ways she probably would and wouldn't understand. And it was here, this moment. She would always remember. "Speech."

Joy filled the male's heart as the woman came slowly out of her sorrows. It was mesmerizing, watching the fire spread back through her in response to the words he had just spoken. He was glad to have been here. Glad to have meet Avalon. Glad that he had been able to see her and understand the pain she felt, and been able to help her come to terms with it. Sometimes that's all it took. Sometimes the soft and simple approach was what spoke volumes. But, then, he supposed, it really and honestly was as simple as that. The fact of the matter is that at the end of the day you are still alive. And every day you can accomplish that in the face of the evil of this world, you have won. Because you are still alive. They can take your land, take your family, take your body, But no shear display of force can Take. Your. SOUL! Not unless you let them. That. That was by definition, Defiance. And Defiance felt good. Defiance was also contagious. Infectiously so. That's why as the fire started to billow back up in Avalon, the fires inside Newol set ablaze all the more. It reflected in his eyes off of her. That was but one of the meany lessons Newol had for this world. It was also one of the reason why he understood pain so well.

It hurt, wanting to leave the world a better place than you found it. It hurt because it was just so damn hard. There was just so much work to do and you could go at it until the sun went down and feel like you've gotten no where.

But when Avalon's face was buried in his neck, he came flying out of his stupor into a whole other plan of thought. A different set of realizations flooding over him, including a sobering taste of something much deeper than any of the politics outside. His eyes fell on her as she whispered to him. He was glad she had covered her face in his fur, because his expression faltered for a single second. A quiver of his lips as a pang of uncertainty waved in his skull. Could he be a certain as she was. Could he say that he would never give up? What would happen if when the time came, and the moment he needed this family of his, in scattered for cover and he was left standing the field alone? But in her words he found his answer. Because she was right. She was right that he was right. Even if that would come to pass, even then he wouldn't be alone. Because with him would descend a legion of angry voices with him in his final defiant bellow. So it w as not only to her that he spoke with his next words, his voice cool and soothing and calm. Soft to the ears. "Never. Even if in body you are the only one there, the Riddles In The Dark walk with you. Everything and everyone that believed and believes there is happiness in this world."

What was it about this woman? What was it about her that made Newol want to grasp hold and cling for dear life. He believed in her. He believed that she understood now. And he believed that she wouldn't give up. He moved his body closer, to now be beside her, their sides pressed together. He brought his head up to rest on top of hers in a form of embrace. Again he was thankful she had closed her eyes, because even as his voice remained the same, his eyes got heavy as he grasped onto his own words just as hard as she, a single tear rolling off one eye. "We all stand paw in paw. This world's content is what we choose to make it. So we can't ever give up trying to make something better than what we found. That is the proper way to live."

What came next though, was something else. What came next was deep and personal and emotional. Now that Newol had found this woman, and now that he'd seen who she was, he didn't want to let go. Not yet. No. Something about her, something about her made him believe that he still could. He still could right some of the wrongs. She was like a dream almost. He was afraid that if he let go he'd never see her again. And he didn't want that to happen. So his next words where questioning, a little shy even. "Will you stay? Maybe we can walk our common road together for a little while." It wasn't much, but it was all he could manage. Now, now he wanted the sun to come out for Avalon just as much as his family. And he wanted to be beside her to see it happen.

Ears lifted only slightly to hear his voice. She remained silent, taking in the calm that was slowly filling her. His presence was all she needed, he was all she needed it seemed, especially in these times. For it was not her family nor her non-existent friends that were there for her, no. But this man, this good hearted man with the pure soul, the one with the drive to keep going that was here for her. Even in the short time of meeting, even though she had just walked into a place not knowing he was here, it seemed fate would bring them together. Bring her close to someone who went through the things she had in life. She felt selfish for a moment, because she didn't want him to leave. Didn't want him to go away or disappear. But was that really selfish? Was it selfish to want to keep beside you what your heart craved so much? Perhaps so. But it was in her momentary selfishness she felt...happy. Her eyes would squeeze tightly together, taking comfort and safety within the warmth of his fur as she listened to his heart beat. It was real, it was not a dream. And if it was a dream after all, she hoped to never wake up. This is what she needed...he is what she needed in her life.



Her eyes opened slowly, almost tiredly as he shifted closer to her. His form pressing into hers, it surprised her really. It was not something she had expected, but she did not object nor move away. The rise and fall of his breathing helped to soothe her, the sound of his heart beating within her ears, and as he placed his head upon her own she would press tightly against him. Eyes closing once more as the man gave her everything she had once hoped for. She felt just the smallest drop upon her foreleg, a tear shed by the hardships and everything else he had endured. "We all stand paw in paw. This world's content is what we choose to make it. So we can't ever give up trying to make something better than what we found. That is the proper way to live." All night, his words had never been truer. She had never heard things said the way he had, if at all. She had been alone for so long, abandoned by society and left to be forgotten. Another soul in the world who drifted aimlessly in the void filled by nothing less then darkness. She had been in turmoil for so long, filled with no emotions other then pain, loneliness, regret, rage, self loathing, and self pity. And yet, all of that melted away in the span of a single night...who knew it could have happened. She would have never expected something this good, this divine and serene to happen to her if at all that were a remote possible chance.



Through the warmth of his fur and the soothing sound of his heart beat, she would murmur in agreement to his previous words. He was right. He had been this entire time, and there was no denying it. For what would she gain by remaining in the same dark hole she had been in for almost two years? Nothing. What would she gain by remaining weak? Nothing. And yet, tonight she would feel like she could gain anything and everything. Thanks to him. She could feel a tug at her lips, for the first time in a long time, her soul wanting to smile. And yet, she fought it. Was it right to do so now? Yes. Her mind would answer for her. And yet, before she could he would talk to her again, the voice she found peace in would ask her something she'd never expect from anyone. "Will you stay? Maybe we can walk our common road together for a little while." It sounded simple, and yet her heart managed to skip a beat in that simplicity. There was a reason he asked, and yet she would not question it. Everyone needed another to guide them in this world, to pick them up when they've fallen down. To give company and companionship, and yet there was more. His question had been more then that, and it was in her time of thought that the smile that had begun to appear, would grow without hesitation. Slowly, she lifted her head, trailing her muzzle against him as she did so. Her fiery amber gaze no longer looked dull and defeated, but sparkling bright and strong. Her muzzle was mere inches from his, and as she looked at him she was assured that his question was true. "I will stay, Newol. For as long as you need me to."



Her words were complete truth. And she knew she would do her parents proud by this decision. They had been true and honest to one another, and she felt that the same held true for her and Newol. It wasn't a spur of the moment decision, not something brought on by an act of weakness or the sense to feel like she belonged. But a feeling in her heart, a feeling that this would grow to be something true and selfless. A feeling she would always hold dear, a feeling that would never fade. Her heart pounded loudly it seemed, within her ears. She didn't feel nervous or afraid, her voice had spoken natural words that held no hesitance or insecurity or fear. She was ready to walk down the path of light, to stray away from the darkness that had gripped her for so long. Delicately, she reached out to him. Her muzzle brushing against his own in a sort of "thank you" and yet, it seemed to hold more then that. Of what, she couldn't quite tell. She was grateful to have come across him, and yet there was more then just that. When she looked into his green eyes, her heart seemed to jump, beating almost maniacally within the confines of her chest. His touch brought a fire to her skin, her tummy wriggling with a feeling she'd not felt before. Like a thousand little butterflies fluttered within her. Was this what sudden love felt like? Or was it just a plague of her imagination leading her to believe it? She would immediately discard the latter; this was real. If it wasn't, then hell if she knew what real love was. If it turned out to be no more then a dream, she never wanted to wake. Her answer to him had been simple, but full of much more then what she thought. "We'll walk our path together, Newol. For I believe our paths crossed for a reason, and it is this reason."

The brute was comforted by her words. They where from the heart, and they where everything that he had hoped for. At this point, the fatigue was starting to win, this though. It had been a long and rough ride for the young man's emotions. This coupled with how long it had been since you last slept made for one very tired wolf. But even as he fought to stay awake, he had to admit that she was right. It wasn't by chance that they had met here today. It was almost certainly fate. This woman was someone Newol could lean on. Someone he could trust with the pieces of his soul. And those kind of people where rare. Newol knew. You didn't even trust family with what was inside of you. Not all of it. But Avalon? No. Avalon he truly trusted.

So after savoring the moment of there muzzles pressed together, nuzzling one another, he spoke. "Thank you." was all he could manage as he set his head on his paws. He couldn't keep this up much longer before that sleep that he had been looking for finally caught him. And yet still he fought it. He didn't want to wake up and she not be there beside him. But the warmth of her side seeped into him, and his soar muscles uncoiled. Final, he couldn't fight any longer and he surrendered to the fatigue. Sleep overcame him. Long and steady breathe marked by the rise and fall of his shoulders. It was a deep, exhausted sleep. But in his realm of sleep, he was thankful.