FSE

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Prologue:

The vast room slowly filled with furs of all ages, as it did muted, excited voices began filling the void in anticipation of what was to come. It wasn't long before the excited chatter was replaced with the joyful screams of cubs playing, complaining, crying and whatever cubs and young do when in such places. Occasionally, a parent would be seen taking an unruly cub out of the room, only to hear the slap of a paw on the problem cub's rear followed by painful wails from their paddling.

"Kingdoms come... Kingdoms go." A soft voice intoned just loud enough to be heard over the din of the assembled furs. "We have all seen this through the course of time and will see again in the future. We have been witness to that many times in the course of our history."

Slowly but surely the noise quieted to a dull rumble as what appeared to be a wizened wolf slowly limp onto the stage, his staff clicking with each slow step he made. His meticulously groomed dark grey fur did little to hide scars from years past, scars from battles, scars from hunts and the like. By the time he made his way to the center of the raised dais before sitting in a sturdy rocking chair, the assembled crowd was silent and all eyes focused on him. As he sat down, he motioned to the young in attendance to gather around his feet.

"Today is a special day." He said smiling sadly. "Once again we celebrate the freedoms that were stolen from us all those years ago. To celebrate those who were lost in the terrible battle that restored our freedoms, to honor those who gave their very lives defending what we cherish and love."

Looking down at the cubs around his feet, he grinned mischievously. "We also need to remember those we love that have left to parts unknown whether they did so freely or against their will. The celebration will begin shortly, but tradition also dictates that one of the Elders in every village, town or city start things off with a tale and tonight it is my turn."

He stopped briefly as he looked around at the assembled furs. The cubs at his paws yelped in surprise, quickly backing away towards the adults as the elder slowly drew a beautiful but deadly blade from a hidden scabbard under his cloak. "I have thought long and hard about the tale you are about to hear tonight." He said as he brandished the blade for all to see. "This blade I hold in my paw became my inspiration; it has a tale that goes back centuries. It was handed down from father to son, looking for its destiny, its one true Master. It has found its Master, but as fate would have it, its Master has no desire to keep such a beautiful weapon for themselves, so I was tasked to take care of this blade until such time comes for its Master to reclaim it.

"Now this tale is long. It is full of adventure, good, bad and otherwise." The elder said as he sat down in the chair. "As I said earlier... Kingdoms come and kingdoms go, and you know what remains of kingdoms? Their history. A good story teller will tell stories about both the good and bad kingdoms so all will hopefully learn a lesson. The tale I am telling you today is about one who should have never been born, one who went through and is still going through challenges as I speak. Not only will the tale be about the one main character, our tale will also tell about those close to him as well.

"Now where to begin, that is very important you know starting a good tale always needs an intriguing beginning..." He said as he placed the blade point down and rested his muzzle lightly on it. "Should I tell you how they came to be?"

"NO!" Shouted the cubs around him.

"Do I start at the middle?"

"NO!"

"How this sordid tale got started?"

"YES!" The cubs shouted gleefully.

"I see." The old male said softly, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "Gather 'round then, and I will tell you of a young prince who chose not to be a king of our kingdom. How he grew up learning the ways of the common folk, learning the evils of the land as well as the good bounty it can offer as well. It was foretold that he was destined for greatness eons ago with this prophecy from a small, yet very insignificant wolfclan...

"The omens and the stars point to the one who will either save or destroy our clan. The one will be a part of us, and yet not one of us, forever alone. They will be a friend, an enemy, a lover, a stranger always alone, yet in need of companionship. Their friends, enemies, demons, angels and strangers alike will test them in ways that they will never expect. They will come to our clan on the harvest moon by the one who has rejected their own clans. The one's path has been set and they are already on it. Once the one has left the clan, they will find their destiny, they will also find their purpose after many trials. The clan's future rests with the one, they will test the one's resolves and convictions before the one departs us forever."

"Our story begins many years ago in the frozen northern wastes of our kingdom, where summer never shows its warm face having been driven out by the Ice Gods themselves. Very deep in an ancient forest that is said to be older than the world as we have known it has existed..."

Chapter One: Endings and Beginnings

Screams of pain emanating from a small, hide covered hut, shattered the quiet, peaceful night as a large, intimidating wolf paced worriedly outside. In the cabin, his mate is deep in the throes of childbirth, after going into labor far later than the healer clan's healers and Elders had figured, not to mention, that his mate was not supposed to be able to conceive any cubs due to the difference between their two species. His pacing stopped when one final, soul piercing scream rent the night asunder. He then slowly, so as not to disturb anyone in and around the cabin, crept to the window to look inside at his mate, what he saw inside shocked him beyond all reason.

The female feline laying in the room, writhed and moaned in pain as a pair of midwives hustled and bustled around her trying to ease her suffering and bleeding after the birth. She had just given birth to a large male cub, a cub far larger than what her body was able to sustain. The sweat from her labored exertions on her fur glistened from the combined light of the many candles and roaring fire in the fireplace. The wolf sobbed softly seeing his mate lying in the this state, he whimpered softly wishing that he could take her place yet knowing that in reality he can't.

Hearing the soft whimpers, the healer looked towards the window just as the wolf starts to back away.

"Please come in from the cold my liege." The fox said to the wolf. "Your mate needs you by her side not outside. Please come in."

The wolf nodded before disappearing from view as the fox got up and went to the main room to greet the wolf as he walked in.

When the wolf entered the hut, the healer was shocked to see how worn the large male had become since his mate went into labor hours ago.

"My lord." The healer said as he bowed respectfully to the wolf. "Before you go to your mate, I have to tell you some troubling news about her. Sire, she is dying. There is nothing I can do at this time to save her life. She will pass from this realm by the time the moon reaches its zenith tomorrow night. Had we knew that she was carrying twins we could have done more to protect her, but..."

"Twins!" The wolf exclaimed in surprise. "Y-y-you mean we have twins?"

"Yes, er, no." The fox said sadly. "You only have one child, a son. Yes she was with twins, but the first cub was still born. The cub was most likely dead once she started to leave the womb. The little one would have favored your mate the way your son favors you. You cubs sister most likely saved him as both were far too big for your mate to easily give birth to.

"Sire, the stress from your mate's labors, not to mention the size of both cubs means that all this is robbing her of her life energy. There is nothing I or any healer in this clan can do to save her. All I can do right now is to give her a potion that will greatly ease her pain and bleeding and will only speed up her passing by a few more hours at best. It is your choice Sire, no one else's."

The wolf looked down at the healer as he thought about what he was told. "Give her the potion my friend, I want her to be able to see her cubs one last time before she crosses over. That is all I ask." The wolf said, clasping the foxes arm.

"Sire, please don't make your mate see her dead cub, it will only hasten her crossing. I would rather that she knows about her son as she will she her daughter when she passes. You and your son's presence will be what she needs right now. I have taken it upon myself to have your daughter taken to be placed with the other cubs who died at or before their birth."

Closing his eyes tightly, the wolf fought to keep himself from tearing into the healer over what he did. "I see your point my friend." He said sighing heavily before collapsing in on himself. "Give my mate the potion I will wait here until she is awake and ready to see me. I just ask that you give her our cub telling her that I wish for her to name him."

"I will do that, please sit and I will be back to bring you to her."

At that the fox turned and re-entered the room where the wolf's mate was laying. He went to a small cabinet and pulled out a number of vials, bottles and pouches then began mixing different amounts from each container into a small bowl, making a potion for the now resting female. It wasn't long before he made his way to her and gently raising her head he carefully poured the contents of the bowl into her muzzle. Once he was sure that the female had taken enough of the potion, he lay her head back onto the pillow, letting the potion do its work.

He sat next the female holding the cub in his arms, examining the boy as memories started to make themselves known to him. Never in his life had he seen something like this. He knew that it was possible for those in the same family of species can cross breed, but not those from two entirely species like these two. As he carefully looked over the sleeping cub, he took note of the bright blue slash across the cub's left eye, something that he has never seen before in any cub he helped deliver, the cub's retractable claws, how the cubs (and his dead sister favored their mother with their red spotted pelts (where hers was light grey), he gently opened one of the cub's eyes to discover that like his mother, his eyes were feline. He knew that in all outward appearances the cub took after his father, but he could tell that his mother's bloodline was there, in his eyes, claws and soft features.

'I wonder.' He thought to himself. 'If he is the one spoken about in the prophecies I have heard from the travelling healers then this child is in grave danger.'

So lost was he in his musings, he didn't hear the female stir at first. He nearly jumped out of his fur when she coughed softly as if not to disturb him.

"I-I-I'm sorry M'lady." He said turning towards her. "I was lost in thought waiting for you to wake."

"That is ok my dear friend." She whispered softly, shivering despite how hot the room was. "I know how you love to think things over especially when it comes to new things, and it seems that my cubs were the cause this time."

"C-c-c-cubs?" The fox stuttered in surprise. "You only had one cub a male."

"Don't you know that expecting mothers know how many cubs they are giving birth to? Please tell me, where is my other cub?"

Sighing in exasperation, his ears lowered in surrender, the healer took a deep breath before replying. "I-I-I'm sorry M'lady, your first born was still born, we were unable to save her. One of the midwives took her to be placed with the cubs who were born dead."

The foxes ears twitched as the sounds of soft sobbing filled the room.

"Please M'lady, there was nothing we could do to save her."

"I know my friend, I know." She replied. "I grieve for her, yet I am glad that I will get to meet her in a few short hours when I cross over."

"B-b-but..." The fox looked at the female in surprise. "H-h-how did?"

"I know I am dying, I can feel my life force ebbing away." She said sadly, then with a sly grin and pointing to her ears. "Plus I heard you tell my mate everything."

"You never fail to amaze me." The healer said wistfully. "You have always been one of my best students in the healer clan. Then as you were aware of what your mate and I were talking about, then you know that he is wanting you to have the honor of naming your son."

The healer turned towards the female and gently placed the cub in her waiting arms, marveling that despite how weak she was, the feline still emanated great strength and love. He watched as his lady friend start to gently stroke her cubs head, tears streaming down her muzzle. A soft, deep rumbling purr filled the room as her cub instinctively made his way to one of her teats to nurse.

"You are beautiful, my dear." She said softly. "You are going to be a handsome young lad, one that will be sought after by males and females alike. No, you won't be a strapping man like your father, but you will be handsome in your own special way. You were given to us by the gods for reasons only that they know, something that I will learn soon.

"I do fear for your safety if the prophecies are correct. For that I hope that your father takes you away from our clans to someplace safe that hasn't heard of the prophecy so that you can have a cubhood that is trouble free. I know that you will never know your mother, but I promise you, I will be nearby in the other realm guiding and protecting you the best I can. Heed your father, learn from him. Heed to your inner voice that will be me talking to you. Now to give you your name, what shall it be? Your name needs to reflect who you are, who you will be.

"My darling cub I am naming you Ainoko Ironrose. In my clan, Ainoko means The Chosen Child of the Gods, of which you are. My darling Ainoko, you are destined for greatness, however, if the prophecies are true, your happiness will not come to pass for many years. I pray that you will be strong and never succumb to those who will do what it takes to keep you from being happy and meeting your destiny. My sweet, sweet cub, my time draws near and I must speak to your father."

She motioned to the healer to go and get her mate as she lay back to let her cub nurse. "My friend, please go and bring my mate in, I do need to speak to him one last time before I leave this world forever."

"Yes my lady." The fox said as he rose from his, making his way back to the main room.

As the healer entered the main roon, the wolf rose to his paws, his ears perked up in curiosity. "Your mate wishes for your presence my liege. She has named your cub Ainoko, it means Child of the Gods in her clan's language. Now go and be by her side."

Re-entering the birthing room, the wolf cringed as he saw how worn and tired his mate was after giving birth to their son. It hurt to see her fur matted from the labors of childbirth. But despite the rigors she went through, she was still beautiful in his eyes. Sitting on the bed next to his mate, he nearly jumped when she whimpered from pain as his weight shifted her towards him. Cradling their son in one arm, he began to caress his mate's fur, and grinning when he heard a soft, rumbling purr emanating from her.

"My sweet queen, what will I do once you are gone from our realm?" He said with tears staining his voice, "You have been my sole reason for living and now, I have lost that. How will I raise our son without his mother? He needs to be raised in the traditions of both our clans and those of our world if he is to survive into adulthood. I fear greatly that both our clans may not accept him as he is not fully a part of either clan. If that should pass, then I will flee my clan, and take him somewhere that he will be safe until he is old enough to be on his own."

"My dearest Wolf," the feline said softly, "I greatly fear for both yours and Ainoko's return to either of our clans. I do also wish for you to flee from here as soon as I am gone, never to return. I have the utmost faith in your judgment on how our son is to be raised. I have also promised our little Ainoko that I will be by his side in spirit guiding him the best that I can. Now I wish for us to talk about his future while he sleeps. Not to mention before I cross over to the spirit realm to dance amongst the Gods and Demons I wish to be in your strong arms."

A few hours later and after the moon set, the wolf left the room carrying his son in his arms, crying softly.

"She is dead my friend." The wolf said to the healer. "She passed after falling asleep in my arms. Please go retrieve what all you need and take it to our hut as it will be yours after today, I will explain my reasons why once you are done."

Nodding, he rose to his feet calling to his midwives to move his essential property over the wolf's hut before going into the room to retrieve all of his supplies. He shivered from the oppressive smell of death in the room as he went over to the dead female to verify the wolf's claim for peace of mind. The healer fox wept silently at the loss of his friend and protégé as he looked at the smile that was frozen on her muzzle when she died in her mate's arms. The fox carefully piled piles of straw and wood around and under the bed before gathering up his supplies and leaving the room. When he walked through the small main room to the front door, he was not surprised to see that his midwives were efficient in doing their duties. Once he was outside, he made his way over to the wolf who was standing next to a small roaring fire.

"I know what you are going to do my liege, and I hold nothing against you for it. Let me take your son so that you can perform the ceremony properly." The fox said as he held out his paws for the cub. "I grieve with you over your loss and will be witness for all clans in these lands."

The wolf nodded as he handed his cub to the healer as he pulled a burning brand from the fire and walking over to the hut, he placed the firebrand on the ground slowly circling the hut, setting it on fire. As he was circling the hut he chanted a time honored ritual, his voice breaking as he fought back tears of greif.

"Angels come bear witness...

Time has ended early...

Your child returns...

Judge her honour...

Forgive her wrongs...

She loved the world...

She cherished all...

She hated none...

She gave from her heart...

She leaves with a smile...

Ready to start...

Walking that long glorious mile...

Rest my love...

On wings of Doves...

Never forget...

The day we met...

Guide those near...

Showing them how not to fear...

When you tell their story...

Give them glory...

Guide us through life...

Leading us through strife...

Teach us the right...

Through both day and night...

Let the Gods declare your glory...

Fly among the stars...

Be a dear...

And guide us down here...

Help us be brave...

'Til the day we die...

'Til the day we rejoin...

The heavens will be quiet...

Rejoice my love...

For you are now an Angel...

Fly strong and high...

For my time is nigh...

I sing your praises...

I vow my love...

I pledge my heart...

Never more to love...

Save those you left behind...

We howl to the heavens above!"

Once done the wolf stepped back to watch the healers hut burn as the flames reach for the sky, ashes climbing to the stars. When the hut collapsed into a shower of flying sparks, the wolf, fox and midwives all howled their grief to the stars signalling to all for miles around the death of a mate and loved one.

"My friend, I have promised my mate before she died to break ties with both her and my clans." The wolf said to the healer. "I ask that you don't say anything for a fortnight about me disappearing. If asked, I am in seclusion with our son mourning our loss. I know that I am forfeiting my life breaking away from both clans, and heading north to parts unknown."

"I knew you were going to do this my friend." The fox said sadly. "May the Gods and Demons protect you and your son on your journey. May you find peace where ever you go. Fair winds my liege."

At that the wolf picked up his son and what few treasures he possessed and headed off to the north as the fox watched in quiet contemplation.