Lupine Flowers
#1 of Short Stories
This is my first time incorporating drama and action in one story, so bear with me. :P Enjoy!
The pungent, rasping scent of coffee emanated through the room. How much he hated that smell. Smirking grimly, the canine tapped his claws against his leg in monotony. His tail hung limp, his body sheltering a range of black hiding an underside of light chocolate brown. Sitting in one of the chairs beside the coffee shop's only display window, the German Shepherd gazed back down to his table. He felt so alone, his sole companion being the mug of coffee that had turned cold at least half an hour ago. The brown liquid looked back at him derisively.
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How long have I been here? Two hours at least.
_ _
I could have sworn it was longer.
Yet, the canine could barely conjure up the energy to move from his cushioned seat.
_ _
What was the point?
He was aware that the cashier, a young lion sporting a black apron and ID, would occasionally glance at him, almost sympathetically, and then return back to his New York Times magazine.
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Raymond, Reylin, Rayan?
The policeman couldn't recall the teenager's name. Not that it was important to him anyway. He was terrible at remembering names.
The lion's green eyes flashed at him and the canine met his. Neither moved, mesmerized by the other's stare. The cashier's scrutinizing look seemed to be searching deep into his soul, as if the feline was reveling in the thought of tearing the cop's mind apart. The dog shivered, fearing what the lion could have possibly obtained from that instance. Could he see the pain, the regret, the anguish? The shepherd was even willing to bet insanity among the mix.
The possibility that a mere stranger could perceive the troubles in the officer's life disquieted him. Arken had come to the coffee shop to commiserate; yet another weak attempt to prevent the memories from rushing back and overwhelming him. Almost at once, the aching pain in his heart returned with more force, burning with agonizing flares. The dog cringed underneath the determined gaze of those all-knowing verdant spheres.
Interrupting the awkward silence, the ring of the coffee shop bells signified the entrance of another customer. A dingo with piercings on each ear slipped through the door gracefully. She was adorned with a simple one-piece dress with black sequins that rimmed the outline of the purple fabric. It was a little too extravagant for casual wear, but it seemed to suit her.
The feline shrugged, breaking eye contact, and went back to reading his article, waiting for the woman to make her order. The tightness in Arken's chest relaxed, uncoiled by the mundane act of turning away. With a sigh of relief, the German Shepherd sunk back into the depths of his velvety accommodation.
No, the lion hadn't seen a thing.
Arken couldn't decide whether he should celebrate or be disappointed. As much as he wanted to keep the past few days in the darkest recesses of the policeman's mind, he knew that just the sight of another wolf cub would send the canine bawling into tears.
An emotionally instable police officer.
Irony at its best.
Fingering at the edges of his badge, the canine frowned in chagrin, feeling the desperate urge to rip the embellished metal from his midnight blue uniform and throw it in the nearest trashcan.
He didn't deserve it.
Arken discovered, with bleak satisfaction, that all those years he spent working in the police force would be thrown into his metaphorical garbage dump. It was located somewhere in his brain beside the thoughts labeled, "Arken's Happy Place."
_ _
And no one, not even myself, knew where that was.
He could picture it now. His police badge would scream as it gets punished by the almighty metal compressor of death. What a wild imagination.
Even so, Arken snarled as he savagely ripped the badge from his shirt and gripped the steel edges, letting the metal dig into his paw pads. Blood coursed in numerous arcs down his arm. He wanted to burn the damn thing, let it melt in a fiery inferno. Then watch as an army of tanks grinded it into the dirt.
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But more than anything...
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Arken paused. He didn't notice the trembling in his paws or the clang of his police badge as it slipped through his fingers.
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... I wish it would bring "him" back.
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To change the past.
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To make me different.
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If only...
If only that was all it took to bring the ones you loved back from the grave. Intruding into his thoughts came a familiar sight... a sight that he wished would be brought back into the world... the sight of a smiling gray wolf cub, revealing an award-winning toothy grin.
Arken could feel his throat tighten, struggling heavily to relax. Each rise of his chest sent waves of agony coursing through his blood. His heart pounded with vicious throbs. It was filled with the pain he desperately tried in vain to escape.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his eyes turning glassy as he clutched the smooth table.
It began as short spasms. Nothing drastic. But eventually the floodgates that held back his emotions burst forth, and what were once subtle tears became pitiful groaning sobs as the sadness wracked his body.
_ _
Why am I so weak? I couldn't even save you.
"Forgive me..." he started, cutting himself halfway. Even after a year, the words were still hard to say. Only now had he gotten the strength to say them.
"My son."
***
The roaring alarms of an ambulance burst through the night. Arken was close behind, trailing the ambulance loaded with medical equipment as they rushed through the subdivision. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, the canine continued his drive, steering his wheel to the left and onto an empty avenue.
_ _
Located in the suburbs of New York, the neighborhood wasn't exactly bustling with activity at three in the morning.
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The shepherd knew better.
_ _
A report of home invasion had arrived this morning at the station. It was a pretty common occurrence, but Arken couldn't help but think there was something more to this case in particular. It seemed too deliberate, as if the person wanted to attract attention. Thievery requires stealth, and that much was obvious. Even an idiot wouldn't have been caught in the act so fast. There was another reason hidden between the lines. There just had to be...
_ _
Spinning the steering wheel adeptly, the dog let his thoughts wander. Maybe he was overthinking it a little. His other colleagues had always teased him about his paranoia and mild obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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Not that he was an absolute neat freak...
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Right?
_ _
He recalled last night's panic attack over a disorganized kitchen cabinet. Spending two hours arranging and then rearranging eating utensils had been a nightmare, not to mention the napkins. He shivered. Then stopped.
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Maybe he was a bit compulsive at times. Screw them.
_ _
The sirens of the ambulance shattered the normal past-midnight silence. It was louder than his alarm clock at full volume. The sound irritated the shepherd's sensitive ears and what he wouldn't give to send a train sailing through the sky and crash-landing on that stupid van. He watched it as it disappeared around the corner.
_ _
_ _
Boom.
_ _
_ _
The sound of an explosion reverberated in the air, and the sudden tremor filled the sheppie with panic. God must have heard him.
_ _
"Oh, shit."
_ _
_Veering to the right and slamming the brakes, Arken gripped the wheel in an airtight choke. There it was. He looked away from the scene, or at least tried to. Still, the image that burned into his memory banks held a static-like hold onto his person. _
_ _
Fire. The first thought that registered in his mind. It hid the accident from the shepherd's view amongst the writhing tentacles of flame. The wild movements gave him just enough space to catch mere glimpses of the destroyed ambulance, and as soon as he did, Arken wished he hadn't.
_ _
A wreck of white metal was flipped over; a tire blown out from what looked to be a bullet hole. Hell, even the sign was melting from the heat. He nearly swore that he saw a puddle of red beneath the truck, amongst the wall of flame.
_ _
The shepherd bit his lip, his fangs drawing blood, which trickled in tiny drops into his mouth. He had known one of the medics in that ambulance. Rafia was the lead paramedic in that truck. In fact, he had talked to her just this morning, family being one of the several discussions they had. The conversation was still fresh in his mind. Her son was only in 5th grade, just approaching middle school. Bright kid. If he applied himself, he could go far in the career he chose. Just earlier she was laughing happily at the words Arken had said to her. Now this.
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"How... how could this have happened?" he whispered.
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Bang.
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He jumped with a start as he heard the gunshot behind him.
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Sparks flew as the bullet struck the car's door. A resounding shatter occurred as another bullet passed through the driver side window. It ricocheted off the opposite car door and blasted a hole in the leather seat. "Damn it," he said, staring at the black void that was smoking with heat. "What the hell was that for?!" A third shot fired, whizzing by his face and nearly striking it by mere millimeters.
_ _
He unbuckled his seatbelt and gave timed breaths to soothe the nerves, trying to ignore the dread that was creeping into his system, before unlocking the car door. The canine gave a quick look through the window (or what was left of it), and yelped as a metal projectile streamlined past his face and decimated the window behind him. Whoever was firing had pretty good aim, but Arken was still able to get a view, although blurry, within the two-second time frame the shooter permitted him.
_ _
Two wolves, male and female, stood beside their son on their front lawn, as a gun was pointed behind their backs. The burglar was adorned in pure black, face covered with the stereotypical ski mask. From the looks of it, with no elongated muzzle or outstretched ears, the man was probably human. He held the pistol in his hands firmly, not a trace of hesitance betraying his features. The dog still lay low, deciding to eavesdrop on the bitter exchange of words between the two parties.
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"Y-You killed them!" The older male stood in front of his family, arms outstretched at his sides.
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"Shut up! Why would you care?! You wolves are just like the rest of them! Filthy beasts!"
_ _
Great.
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He was an extremist. A racist, too.
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"P-Please! W-We have money! J-Just leave us a-alone!" The mother spoke out, her voice stumbling over the words.
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"I don't care about your damn money! Go to hell, you animal bastards!"
_ _
The young wolf boy flinched. His mother tightened her grip on her pup's hand, muttering soft comforting words in his ear.
_ _
Getting out from the car, Arken laid his paw on his police-commissioned LT22. Whipping the gun out in front of him, the canine instinctually rolled into a defensive position beside the front yard tree.
_ _
Pushing his body against the bark of the plant, he grit his teeth as the wood scratched at his neck. The shepherd felt warmth flow down his back, a creeping sensation that made him shudder. "Someone up there really hates me," he muttered, cursing his bad luck. Turning his head slightly around the curved 'Trunk of Pain,' Arken observed the gunman's stance; the gun was aimed low, but the man's finger was still lingering in the air, away from the trigger. Seeing it as the opportune moment, the shepherd did what every police cop would do in this situation.
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"Drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head!" Arken barked.
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Geez, I sound like an idiot.
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...
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No comment.
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The criminal laughed. It started out slow but then became coarse guffaws of heinous laughter. "Whatever ya' say, puppy." And without a moment's hesitation, he aimed the gun's barrel at the father... and pulled the trigger.
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Arken's heart lurched upwards into his throat as soon as he saw the twitch in the human's finger-- the wolf never saw it coming.
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A shot rang out.
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A body collapsed onto the grass.
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Luminous red stained the verdant field. It ominously gathered around the fallen figure, ceasing to move, the light vanishing in the victim's eyes.
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"Dad!" The pup cried out and rushed to the limp corpse.
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Arken felt a freezing chill creep along his body. It spread through his veins, penetrating deep into his skin. His eyes strayed back to the dead wolf lying on the yard and felt the same emotions that he purposely had tried to force back for several years:
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Fear.
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The guy actually did it.
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He killed him.
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The shepherd's arms began to shake, the gun threatening to fall from his paws.
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"Where's your pride now, doggie? Are you scared?" he spat. "Is that it?!"
_ _
He glared at the police officer. It was almost as if he was daring the canine to make a move. But Arken couldn't. He was afraid. Instinctively, his tail curled between his legs, his ears flattening in submission.
_ _
"Has doggie had enough?"
_ _
The man shrugged with indifference. Arken growled softly, but still frozen solid.
_ _
The murderer aimed once more, his target now the mother who held her son in her arms. She cried out and wrapped the pup protectively in her hold. At once, the frost-like grip around the shepherd had thawed out and the New York officer sprung into action.
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"No!"
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Gripping the metal in his hands, Arken moved forward. The criminal switched targets, aiming for the canine instead. Unloading his bullets onto the lawn, the human fired repeatedly at the German Shepherd.
_ _
Arken leaped to the right, dodging the gunshots by seconds. The bullets struck the concrete pavement and created miniature conflagrations on contact. Determined to save the two wolves, the dog closed the distance between him and the human. The man pulled the trigger once more. Arken flinched as the metal projectile impacted his left shoulder but just grazed through the fur and skin. He winced a little but continued his momentum, charging forwards.
_ _
Realizing that the canine was only trying to provide a distraction, the murderer once more set sights on the mother comforting her crying pup.
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"Game over."
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The human raised his gun, pointing the barrel at the female wolf's head--
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"Stop!"
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Arken was filled with desperation. No one else needed to die tonight.
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"What did they ever do to you?!"
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Yeah, he thought. What did they do to him?
_ _
The guy gave a creepy laugh. His next few words sent shivers down Arken's spine. Words that would echo in his ears until his last breath.
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"To me?" He steadied his handgun.
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"Nothing."
_ _
Time seemed to slow down as Arken saw the light jerk of the human's finger. Adrenaline surged through the shepherd's blood and he raised his gun as well. The canine fired one shot to the man's head, praying for his years of training not to fail him now.
_ _
_ _
Bang.
_ _
_ _
An explosion rang out into the night...
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Two bodies collapsed onto the ground.
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One was the human doused in his own blood.
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The other...
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Arken was just a second too late.
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The female wolf yelped as the bullet passed through her and roughly hit the earth, the life in each of the wolf's breaths vanishing.
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"M-Mom!" The lupine boy whimpered. "N-No. T-This can't b-be happening. N-Not like this. D-Don't kill me, too..." Closing his eyes, he waited for a third explosion to echo in the night, the shot to take his life, the finale to this horrible tragedy.
_ _
He waited.
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And waited.
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For that final chime to break the amalgamating silence.
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Instead, he heard a low tone that stretched into an esoteric rhythm. It was muffled by the shaking paws of its owner, clasped in front of his face to hide the shameful tears. The wolf knew this sound all too well.
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It was the deep, heart wrenching sobs of a grown man in pain.
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Arken's knees had wobbled as the strength passed out of them, his knees hitting the grass.
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I was too late. I couldn't save them. I was a failure. Because I was too afraid to take the shot...
_ _
"Mister?"
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Arken looked up at the voice, tears still running down the side of his muzzle.
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It was the wolves' son.
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Was he here to yell at me, to blame me for his parents' deaths? It was my fault after all... I hesitated for a few seconds, and it cost the lives of two people. He could have punished me all he wanted, and I knew I wouldn't fight back. Even die if I had to.
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Arken closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to envelope him.
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"Are you okay?"
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The canine's eyes snapped open.
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Was I okay?! The pup's parents just died!
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"I think your priorities are a messed up, little guy. Shouldn't I be the one asking you that...?"
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To Arken's amazement, the wolf shrugged.
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"I... I don't know. It still hurts, but you know what? I guess I have to thank you. You could have let me die. But instead, you gave it your all, and that's what really matters in the end. Everyone makes mistakes, you know." Giving the German Shepherd a wide grin, the pup wagged a finger in the officer's face. "It's a fact of life!"
_ _
Chuckling at the wolf's playfulness, the New York policeman held out a paw. The wolf cub accepted it graciously and helped the dog to his feet.
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The tears had slowed to a minimum, but they were still there. Only, it wasn't tears of sadness, but happier ones, that he was forgiven. That the wolf was able to look at this weak man and comfort him.
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Unconditionally.
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"By the way, the name's Tomal Eryn."
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"Officer Arken Spera, at your service." Tomal laughed at the formality and tightened his grip on the canine's arm.
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"I really meant what I said. Thank you."
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Arken didn't know why, but it just felt right. He would protect this wolf pup and care for him. At least, he owed it to Tomal's parents to do the best he could for this strong, insightful child...
_ _
***
A tug on the shepherd's jacket brought him back to his senses. He whined softly to himself and looked at the paw that had grasped his uniform. Slowly, he traced the paw back to its owner.
It was the lion that had been reading the magazine.
Beneath his black apron, the feline wore some tight-fitting blue jeans and a golden-yellow polo shirt with a white collar. The short sleeves revealed muscular arms that were somewhat hidden beneath the yellow fur. It was clear that the cashier worked out, but was not one of those obsessive body-builders that gave Arken slight disgust. Around the lion's neck was a silver holy cross, attached to a metal chain.
"Are you okay? You seem upset?"
Upset, was an understatement. Try complete and utter failure.
The German Shepherd ignored the lion and shifted his gaze to the coffee shop window. Gray clouds had gathered over the city, blocking out the brilliant sunshine that frequented these suburbs. Cumulating over the horizon, it was only time before the city was drenched by an onslaught by the skies. It seemed as though even the gods were weeping his loss.
"I don't want their pity," Arken muttered.
"Pity?"
The shepherd nearly forgot the lion was even there in the first place. And now, he wanted nothing more for the curious feline to leave him alone.
"If you would be so kind, I would appreciate it if you left me alone." It sounded sickly-sweet, he knew. But he would rather sound fake and pleasant, than honest and outright cruel.
Much to Arken's delight, the cashier stepped back in surprise, almost as if he didn't expect the dog to respond. Arken frowned again when the feline took another step forward.
_ _
Dammit. I just can't get this guy to get away.
"It just seems as though..." the lion paused at that thought. Then sighed. "Look, I may not know you and all, but your depression is driving away my customers."
Arken gazed at potential coffee patrons, an adorable fox couple, and let their eyes meet his. Immediately, they scurried off into the opposite direction. The canine smirked with sadistic satisfaction and offered an innocent grin to the cashier, who just rolled his eyes.
"Funny. Now what do you plan to do with that cold cup of coffee?"
Arken pretended to think, enjoying this exchange of words more than he would like to.
"Mmm... I'm thinking whether I should just pour it all over your face or throw it at the couple behind me. Either way, watching you or random strangers covered in coffee seems entertaining to me."
For extra measure, the canine grasped the mug and swirled the liquid around in the container's confines.
The lion's jaw dropped in horror. Only when the shepherd had finally settled the porcelain mug down did the feline release the breath that he didn't realize he was holding.
"Please don't." And with that response, Arken laughed. It was a bittersweet sound but a laugh nonetheless. The lion smiled back devilishly, as if his evil plan had gone without a hitch.
"I won't make any promises," the canine responded. With a knowing grin, the lion turned and back behind his counter. A line of furs had arrived and he came to take their order.
As much as that cheerful conversation was, Arken's heart still ached. He was gradually filled with guilt at the slight amount of happiness in his chest. It continued to build, crushing him beneath its weight.
Before meeting Tomal, Arken felt his life was like a sea of white and black. It continued forward, waves rolling endlessly across that lifeless canvas. The wolf was the color in that scenic artwork. His light-hearted laughter and vast amount of wisdom painted between the lines and added dimension to Arken's linear future.
The shepherd often joked with the pup, comparing his intuitive mind to that of the ocean. Tomal would spring universal truths from his mouth without the tiniest indication of effort. The wolf wasn't just a cub that the canine had adopted out of the goodness of his heart, nor was he purely a special child.
Tomal had been Arken's guardian angel, manifested in the form of an innocent young lupine. He had changed the officer's life for the better.
_ _
So then why? Why should I be happy? When he's... he's...
A tear rolled down the dog's cheek.
Outside, thunder roared and bellowed from above. Trickles of water bounced harmlessly off the shop window's glass, signifying the torrent that was yet to come. As if on cue, the pounding against the crystalline frame increased in frequency. Arken watched as the tiny drops rolled down the slick surface, the bubbles of water converging with another as the wave of water followed an erratic path downwards with the flow of gravity.
Rain... They loved the rain...
Especially on those weekend afternoons. When they would watch the rain together.
But now, all it did was fill Arken with painful memories.
***
_ _
"Hey, look Arken! It's raining!" The shepherd glanced out the window from his newspaper. Indeed, water fell lightly from the heavens, descending to the earth below. Poetic, really. All they needed left was to convince Shakespeare to recite verses in Archaic English.
_ _
"I suppose it is." Tomal frowned.
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"Really? That's all you have to say?"
_ _
Arken looked at him confused. Was there some sort of significance? Maybe today was something important. Dread intensified as possibilities soared through his head.
_ _
His birthday? Nah, that wouldn't be until two months. A party with the pup's friends? Bzzz, wrong again. As much as the lupine wouldn't like to admit, he wasn't exactly the most socially active of people. Kind of like Arken. The similarities between the two had brought the wolf and dog closer together.
_ _
So what was it?
_ _
"Geez, Arken. What a shame." Tomal tsked and gave the shepherd a playful smirk. Tugging on the canine's sleeve, the wolf cub whined and pointed to the sliding door. "C'mon. I need to show you something."
_ _
This coaxed a sigh from the proud police dog.
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"Fine."
_ _
Following Tomal past the sliding door, the canine observed the blissful expression on the lupine's face. It was a mixture of absolute delight and sheer innocence. His scintillating azure eyes reminded the shepherd of the vast empty area of sapphire over the endless blooming fields of Germany. He promised he would take Tomal there one day...
_ _
Exposure to the fresh air of the European countryside was a sort of remedy to the canine. A cure for the claustrophobia-inducing streets of the Big Apple. It wasn't that he didn't like working in the economic capital of the world, but everyone needs space once in a while.
_ _
Arken had lived in a modest area of New York for all of his life. Moving out when he was twenty-two, the canine was eventually able to afford a one-story home in the New York suburbs.
_ _
Earning a doctorate degree in Criminal Law and Psychology, Arken worked as the central command of the New York Police Deparment. The job, although it had caused its share of mental scarring, gave him the money. And that's all he had ever cared about.
_ _
But now, it was different. Now, Arken had someone to support and care for.
_ _
The dog would never forget Tomal's reaction to his house...
_ _
Arken had unlocked the white door with a copper key and twisted the handle clockwise. On his right shoulder, the wolf pup carried a medium-sized, royal blue duffel bag. Emblazoned on both sides was a curious multi-colored symbol that had previously caught Arken's attention.
_ _
It resembled a large, black hexagram with two silver-swords crossed in an 'X' formation, dividing the center into four differently colored, equivalent sections. Each quadrant glowed with their respective colors: red, blue, yellow, and green.
_ _
The canine had asked the pup what the pictogram represented, but Tomal gave him a devious leer and performed his iconic finger wag.
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"It's for me to know and you to find out." Arken gave him a flash of annoyance but the wolf pup giggled in response. "I will tell you this. It's a family emblem. Has always been there for generations. But what it does, however, remains a secret."
_ _
Thanks kid. That really helped.
_ _
The cogs in Arken's brain that controlled his sarcasm were in full gear, itching to insert a comment at any window of opportunity.
_ _
Content with at least a minor amount of information, the German Shepherd led the lupine inside the house. Dropping the 'occult' bag down onto the floor, Tomal let his eyes wander around the house, examining and committing to memory each detail with technical precision...
_ _
It wasn't hard.
_ _
"Are you sure you live here? It's just so... empty. "
_ _
"Yeah, I know." Arken blushed, his ears drooping a little. "I never found much use for furniture. I'm sorry... I know you expected something better than th--"
_ _
Tomal silenced him with a quick squeeze of the paw and a tug of the arm. The lupine then laughed as he bounced with each step as went deeper into the house. Arken quickly caught up to the wolf and embraced him. Lifting the pup upwards into the air, Arken spun him around, the two giggling like naughty elementary students.
_ _
Once his arms tired, the shepherd let the pup down and brought a paw underneath the wolf's chin. Tomal glowed with such iridescence, almost like Arken's miniature sun.
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"It's perfect," Tomal said.
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"But it's completely empty!" The canine looked at the smaller fur in utter confusion. But Arken had never doubted his 'son' before.
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"That's why," the wolf responded, giving the shepherd one of his irresistible grins. "It's a blank slate that we are free to alter at will. Only over time and change does something gain value."
_ _
With that, Arken nuzzled the wolf affectionately to the face and guided Tomal to where he would be sleeping for the years to come...
_ _
The repeated splatter of rain brought the shepherd to his senses and realized that his 'son' was twirling in the rain, the wolf captivated in utter rapture. Arken watched in amazement as the dance took a life of its own, filling the dog with a sense of bewilderment. Each light step, each movement of the arm, looked weightless and unhindered by the streaming rain. Almost as if the water had not once touched Tomal's body.
_ _
Spinning on the tip of toes, his arms outstretched, the wolf could not appear any more majestic. His eyes gleamed even brighter, luminous cobalt gems against the veil of clear.
_ _
Enthrallment slowly turned to dismay as Arken realized what was happening in horror. "Tomal, get back here! You'll catch a cold! What do you think you're doing?!"
_ _
The words came out from Arken's mouth before he could stop them. At once, he wished he never had said them at all.
_ _
The lupine whimpered at the scolding and stumbled dejectedly back to his 'father.' Every step looked forced, weighed down by pounds of imaginary lead.
_ _
"I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to get you mad..."
_ _
Arken felt his heart shatter at those words and brought his muzzle down to Tomal's level. The wolf looked teary-eyed and his natural laugh was degraded to a miserable whine. Ears tucked back in shame and arms held loosely to the side. All the boundless drive in each action seemed to have evaporated in an instant.
_ _
Wonderful, I thought. There are places in hell reserved for people like me who make kids like Tomal cry.
_ _
The canine wrapped his arms around the boy and brought the wolf closer to his chest. Tomal rested his muzzle on the cleft of Arken's shoulder and let the tears drip from his face.
_ _
"Shh... It's okay. I'm not mad. I was just worried about you, okay?"
The pup nodded, but Arken could still feel the wetness on his neck. The police officer sighed.
_ _
I know both my wallet and me are going to suffer because of this.
_ _
But...
_ _
"I'm sorry, Tomal. If you're not too upset with me, as payback, we can go inside and get some ice cream. Sound like a good idea? I'll even let you put as much as much chocolate as you want--"
_ _
Almost immediately, the lupine cheered up and hugged Arken, jumping up and down. If the shepherd didn't know any better, he would have thought that Tomal's sadness was all just an act.
_ _
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Arken! You're the best!"
_ _
Said canine chuckled and felt his heart settle back together again.
_ _
It was worth it. This kid was special.
_ _
Arken half-expected Tomal to go dashing inside the house, but knowing that the cub was filled with surprises, half-expected the lupine to stay outside. Tomal chose the latter.
_ _
"But first, let's stay here for a little while. It's not everyday that it rains, you know."
_ _
Arken nodded and let Tomal sit comfortably on his lap, the pup's body still damp from the rain. Still, the shepherd couldn't complain. He had to admit, the rain, from faraway, added to the natural beauty of his garden.
_ _
No.
_ _
Their garden.
_ _
Together, they spent countless hours planting seeds, cucumber, grape, tomato, and after much convincing, pumpkin. Only the brilliant green sprouts that had burst through the earth brought hope against the army of Arken's worries that the fruits wouldn't grow. Their leaves sparkled underneath the cascading ambrosia.
_ _
"It kind of reminds me of lupine flowers."
_ _
The wolf spoke, his luminous amber eyes observing the moving wall of crystal in clear fascination.
_ _
"What?"
_ _
Tomal grinned, giving the policeman a flick on the nose. "The rain, silly."
_ _
The shepherd stared at him confused. "You're just saying that."
_ _
The pup shook his head, favoring the sight of cascading water once more.
_ _
"Lupine flowers are symbolic for the imagination. Wolves were once thought of as creatures of evil, servants of Satan himself." Tomal glanced back to his 'father,' who met his eyes. "But we aren't. We're more than evil. We can love and cherish like everyone else. Appearances aren't everything."
_ _
Tomal leaned closer, the gray fur of his muzzle tickling Arken's face, and whispered softly into the shepherd's ear. The officer's cheeks reddened, but he couldn't help but smile.
***
It hit him, his gentle wolf's honest answer, and it sent Arken back into another fit of tears. The innocence of those eyes and the pure truth in which the pup had whispered those words, sent the shepherd's heart beating a thousand a minute. That beaming face that Tomal wore every morning just about brightened Arken's life. He just knew, that this boy was more than just a victim of a tragedy. More than just an adopted son. Tomal was...
_ _
His best friend and the only family he had left.
The screech of a black, tinted car across the street running a red light brought the canine back to reality.
Normally, the police officer would have shot out of the coffee shop to apprehend the criminal. Even taking note of the license plate wouldn't be challenge. It was only the eidetic nightmares that haunted Arken's mind, which kept him rooted to the spot.
His sight returning to window-side table, the shepherd noticed to his surprise that his coffee was magically warm again. The cashier must have replaced the previous cup of joe with a freshly-brewed one. Arken turned to the feline to protest.
"On me," the feline mouthed silently. The shepherd smirked.
_ _
Free coffee, eh? Sucker.
The cop gave the teenager a pitiful attempt of a smile and downed the liquid in one gulp. Arken felt the warmth surge down his throat and spread down to his toes. He chuckled to himself as he thought he saw a blood vessel burst in the lion's head. The guy was trying too hard to cheer the dog up.
"And I thought cats were supposed to hate dogs," Arken called out.
Mr. Serious gave an amused look, much to the canine's chagrin.
"And I thought cops were supposed to chase criminals. Don't think I didn't see that speeding car. Sleeping on the job, huh?"
Arken shrugged. "I'm one of the highest in command. I'll let someone else take the glory today."
The canine paused.
_ _
That sounded so much better in my head.
"So... You're simply just a lazy commander." The lion folded his arms and gave Arken a playful, but taunting, stare. "I'm suddenly beginning to have more faith in our justice system now."
"Oh, shut up! You know what I meant!"
The lion grinned. "Do I?"
Aggrieved by the cashier's insistence of talking to him, Arken considered setting the shop on fire while burning the feline inside in a fiery explosion of horror, but pushed the thought away. Besides, it wouldn't support his reputation as the placid, analyzing officer that he was known for down at the precinct.
Flaming cats.
How amusing.
"Hey. Really though. What's wrong?"
Arken sighed. The guy was really irritating. The shepherd finally received a closer look at the lion's nametag.
_ _
Raydon.
Personally, Arken liked 'Mr. Serious' a lot better but took note of it on a whim. The dog's eyes shifted to the coffee shop door. His freedom was just a mere five meters away.
Too bad that albatross of a lion was in front of him.
Maybe burning the building wasn't such a bad idea.
"Nothing. Just leave me alone."
"Being antisocial are we?" The lion wagged a finger in his face... exactly how Tomal used to... Arken grit his teeth and tightened his grip on the table edge. Claws dug into the wood, which would form permanent marks for future customers.
"Please... go away..."
The past that the officer had sealed behind a door in an endless maze of accumulating secrets was near to bursting, almost like water behind a faulty dam. Tomal's laughter would haunt him for the rest of his life, tormenting his mind before Arken would be sent to the mental hospital for recuperation.
Except he would never recover.
Tomal meant that much to him. Every sleepless night afterward would only attest to that.
At least the lion had left. The cashier probably got the clue that the dog wanted nothing to do with him. Arken felt guilty to a point. He could have at least been a little nicer, but the sarcastic comments building in his system needed an outlet.
Raydon was just caught in the crossfire.
Heh.
_ _
More flaming kitty jokes.
Looking around, the canine's eyes slowly lay on the digital clock that stood atop the apex of the cashier's mahogany counter. The metal box observed its customer's with its robotic gaze.
Freaky...
The clock glowed three ominous lime-green digits that appeared to burn into your retinas. It simply felt incongruous in the tranquil ambience of a coffee shop setting. The machine was more likely to consume you within its mechanical depths than to tell you the time.
_ _
Hey, it's... 7:30 P.M.
_ _
T-That was the same time when...
"Hey, Dad! You're here!"
A tiger cub had yelled out, greeting his father with an embrace.
Those words...
_ _
Hey, Dad...
The canine choked, sensing a type of mental paralysis that kept his lower body from moving.
_ _
Why here? Why now?
"Running in a store again? How many times do I have to tell you to 'be safe?'"
The father chuckled and led his son out onto the street, the tiger cub happily skipping across the sidewalk.
_ _
Be safe...
Those words were so familiar.
So unmistakably familiar...
Shakily holding the empty mug in his hand, Arken felt it slide from the canine's grip and come tumbling onto the shop's marble floor. The cup bounced once before shattering in several pieces, shards flying in errant directions. Behind him, the coffee maker beeped sharply thrice and left the store in silence. A silence that resembled the one that occurred that last night.
All eyes came to rest upon the dog in a frozen-like state beside the coffee shop window.
_ _
Those words...
_ _
***
_ _
Arken was taking Tomal shopping for an adult novel that had recently arrived in the bookstore. The officer was surprised when he had learned that the wolf was four years ahead of his class in his studies. Encouraging the lupine's insatiable hunger for reading material, the German Shepherd made frequent visits to the mall with his newly adopted son. Arken glanced at his watch for a bit.
_ _
7:30. Store closes in half an hour.
_ _
"Hey, Dad! I need to quickly go to the restroom for a bit." Tomal was bouncing up and down, the royal blue duffel bag, that he insisted be brought with them, moving in tandem.
_ _
The cop gave a nod of affirmation before hastily adding, "Be safe." Beaming with that typical adorable wolfish grin of his, Tomal gave his father a chaste hug and rushed down the aisles.
_ _
Be safe...
_ _
He felt the slight feeling of paranoia but pushed it away. The police job was getting to him. But he was a 'father' now, and more than anything, he wouldn't ruin Tomal's happiness because Arken was being neurotic.
_ _
He was being stupid after all...
_ _
Yeah, just stupid.
_ _
Arken watched the retreating form of the wolf pup and decided to lie against the bookshelves until he returned. All this chasing around had made him tired. He was turning twenty-nine in about six months. It frightened him that he was getting so close to the "Dreaded Age" already.
_ _
Wasn't there some rule about dating men over thirty?
_ _
If so, it made Arken feel even worse. The dog had gone through at least fifteen women his life, and none of them clicked with him. Either they had some form of personality that turned him off, or they simply just didn't see anything in him. Not like he was dumped or anything. The breakups were always reciprocal.
_ _
But it still hurt.
_ _
And in a year and a half, Arken would reach the "end of his youth." Not a happy thought in the least. He took a quick glance at the shelf mirror oh-so-wonderfully placed beside him.
Was that a gray hair I saw?
_ _
Never mind. Just a dustbunny.
_ _
I hope...
_ _
"Hey, why don't we get this book?"
_ _
The shepherd turned to three foxes, a newly wed couple and their eight year-old son. The parents couldn't be more than twenty-five, but nonetheless, they had seemed so happy...
_ _
Absolutely wonderful together.
_ _
It was a magnificent masterpiece brimming with thousands of angelic hues. Colors formed through the family's experiences and making marks of their own in the grand painting. Each stroke of the brush merely etched the rosy reds and glamorous blues deeper into that developing canvas. Only when the final touches were made was the picture, at last, complete.
_ _
It was artistry unfathomable by even the best painters of our time.
_ _
The painting of our very lives.
_ _
A true family.
_ _
Son, Father, and Mother.
_ _
That last part...
_ _
It broke Arken's heart and crushed it mercilessly in the black abyss of his fears.
_ _
Tomal and Arken would never be a true family.
_ _
Even if the two were the happiest furs in the world, they were still missing that female figure in their lives.
_ _
A mother.
_ _
Someone who would comfort Tomal when he was sad, someone to teach him the feminine perspective of things, someone to love him deeply like only a true mother could...
_ _
And the wolf would never grow up to have that mom.
_ _
It hurt Arken more to realize how true that actually was.
_ _
"Tomal... could you ever forgive me?" he said. His voice was barely a whisper.
_ _
In a sense, it was all his fault.
_ _
Everything.
_ _
If Arken had arrived earlier that night, Tomal's parents might have had a better chance. If he had been a better police officer that night, he would have saved them. If he wasn't such a coward, he would have pulled that trigger and end it all the quicker.
_ _
But no...
_ _
Arken wasn't.
_ _
And that mistake cost him three lives instead of just one.
_ _
That man.
_ _
If he had just pulled that trigger...
_ _
"I guess I have to thank you."
_ _
The canine remembered the words that Tomal spoke to him that night, the voice as clear as the transparent shimmer of a frozen ice cube.
_ _
"You could have let me die. But instead, you gave it your all, and that's what really matters. Everyone makes mistakes."
_ _
His mind flashed back to the charming smile of Tomal's face, the wolf's paw outstretched. Arken recalled the burst of joy he felt when he gazed upon the determined yet cheerful look of the lupine's face. He forgave him, just like that.
_ _
"It's a fact of life!"
_ _
Tomal had made him a better person, more than any police officer training film could do. The wolf was the rhyme and reason that parted and purified the tumultuous, muddy waves of Arken's thoughts.
_ _
If only Tomal was here with me now...
_ _
To say thank you...
_ _
For everything...
_ _
First things first though, and Arken knew he had to wait. Rushing the kid wasn't going to make it any better.
_ _
"Patience is a virtue after all," the cop chuckled.
_ _
Yeah. Not if a man with an assault rifle is after you. Which reminds me, what is taking Tomal so long? Ten minutes had passed and the shepherd became worried. Fishing for the cell phone in his pocket, he opened the mechanical device and held the "2" on his speed dial.
_ _
Arken had bought the cell phone recently, two days ago in fact. He bought one for Tomal, too. Ironically, it was Tomal who had criticized him for not thinking about safety and demanded that they buy cell phones in case they lost each other among the crowd. Arken just thought that the wolf was trying to mooch off this 'father-son' relationship, but when Tomal had picked the cheapest cell phone in the store, Arken was shocked.
_ _
Literally.
_ _
It zapped him.
_ _
No shit, too. The phone actually zapped him. It was kind of funny. The advertisement even had 'Electrifyingly Good' on it. Nice to know companies are being honest with their propaganda.
_ _
"It's only for security reasons. Texting seems to be inappropriate in our case. Saving money is just another way of earning another paycheck. Just pick a phone dad so we can leave," Tomal had said.
_ _
To be quite frank, Arken hastily put back the phone, ignoring the jolts through his system. He felt more pride for that wolf at that moment. Tomal was willing to punish himself with a crappy phone to lessen the strain on the cop's leisure money. Arken had selected an ordinary (and hopefully not lethal) slide phone for him and Tomal, despite his son's protests.
_ _
Not once turning away from the smaller wolf, Arken handed the cashier his credit card to pay for both the phones and the cellular plan. "Just think of this as an early Christmas present," he said, grabbing the receipt and card from the cashier, but not before uttering a quick "thanks" to the man before turning back to Tomal once more. "You still have your Christmas Eve present to look forward to," the officer added, enjoying the broad grin on the lupine's face.
_ _
"Spoiling me, eh?" he teased, playfully jabbing a finger in Arken's chest. The dog smirked. Rubbing the wolf's head fur affectionately, he led the lupine out of the store, both father and son with smiles on their faces.
_ _
"Only for you, Tomal," the dog whispered to himself. "Only for you..."
_ _
Arken listened to the mechanical dial tone for a few more seconds, when he finally heard a voice. "Hello. This is Tomal."
_ _
"Hey, Tomal! Where are--"
_ _
"I'm either not here right now, or my dad accidentally cut the power out yesterday, and my phone is not charged. Nice job, dad. Leave a message at the tone."
_ _
Beep.
_ _
Arken snapped the phone back to its original position and felt a blush creep along his cheeks.
_ _
C'mon. That power outage only happened once... a week... for several months... But it wasn't his fault! How was he supposed to know that metal and microwaves don't mix?! He just forgets sometimes... Yeah, that's it. He just forgot.
_ _
What a pitiful excuse.
_ _
He shook the thoughts from his head. It wasn't the time for that, and besides, he could give Tomal an earful for using that as his voicemail. Then again, Arken was the only one who called him...
_ _
Calming down his nerves, he set once more to redial his son's phone number.
_ _
Beep.
_ _
There was no voicemail message this time.
_ _
"Tomal, you there?"
_ _
An ominous silence filled the other line.
_ _
No sound.
_ _
Not even the rustling of clothes or the sharp clinking of Tomal's jacket zipper.
_ _
Just quiet.
_ _
Beep.
_ _
_ Shoving it back into his pocket, the shepherd began to panic._
_ _
What was taking the pup so long? It wasn't like Tomal to--
_ _
_ _
Bang.
_ _
_ _
A familiar sound echoed in the store.
_ _
He heard this sound so many times before in his line of work. No matter how many times it echoed in the canine's triangular ears, it made his chest flare up in irritation. He knew exactly where too.
_ _
A scar, an unhealed wound from back in the day, was hidden entirely by his fur. But if anyone brought a paw to part those coarse hairs, they'd see the remainder of life-threatening damage to his body.
_ _
The sound that he had heard though, was a thousand times worse.
_ _
The sharp noise had penetrated deep into the shepherd's soul, jolting his heart as he felt the frigid tendrils of fear ensnare him.
_ _
No... N-Not now....
_ _
"Tomal!" He called out.
_ _
No response.
_ _
"Please... Answer me..."
_ _
"Dad!"
_ _
Arken could hear the soft whimpers of his 'son,' along with the sharp slap across the wolf's cheeks.
_ _
"Shut up, you little brat!"
_ _
The dog whipped around. Storming through the aisles, he passed section by section. Arken glanced at each pathway for half a second before making his way to the next one.
_ _
With each shelf he passed, he felt despair weighing him down, as if chains were attached to his hind paws, linking him to ten-ton steel weights. Each step took more energy and almost dropped to the floor in exhaustion.
_ _
Arken ignored his body's screams of agony.
_ _
He had to find Tomal.
_ _
The shepherd let two good wolves die on his account. He was not going to have a third. Especially not his 'son.'
_ _
The cop pulled his gun from his holster.
_ _
And if he had to shoot this time, Arken was not going to miss.
_ _
"Arken!"
_ _
"Stupid kid."
_ _
Another slap.
_ _
Damn it. Where are you, Tomal?
_ _
"N-Non-fiction!"
_ _
Huh?
_ _
Repeated mutters and curses echoed throughout the store.
_ _
If only there were less shelves... Why the hell did this damn bookshop have to be so huge?!
_ _
Swerving on his heel, he dodged a panicked employee scrambling from the floor where he was knocked down. The black bear gave an apologetic look in his direction before dashing for the opposite exit. "Wait, I..." Before Arken managed to ask a question, the bear was already gone. "Fuck! How the hell am I supposed to find my son now?!"
_ _
_ _
Bang.
_ _
_ _
"Holy shit!" he said, nearly hit by the bullet aimed at his forehead. Jumping behind the nearest shelf, Arken dodged another bullet, this time aimed at his chest. He peered behind the corner, his gun drawn upwards, ready to fire. Breathing slowly, the experienced policeman counted up to three, exhaling at each number.
_ _
One... breathe... Two... breathe... Three...
_ _
From behind his temporary shield, Arken jumped into the aisle, his gun aimed at the two figures standing alone amidst the stacks of books beside them.
_ _
"Let the kid go!"
_ _
A man with chestnut hair and venomous green eyes had an arm wrapped around the wolf pup's body, and another arm held a gun to the pup's temple.
_ _
"Like hell I will! You filthy mutts think you can just fuck around. What? Boys your age ain't good enough?! Then you kill my brother! Let's see how you feel when I fucking blow your son's brains out!"
_ _
No, not him. Please not him. Tomal was all he had left. Please not him... Arken raised his hands in surrender, dropping the weapon he held to the carpet floor.
_ _
"D-Don't hurt him!" The wolf called out, struggling against his captor's muscled limb. "Arken, run!"
_ _
The man snickered and tightened his grip on the pup's torso, earning the man a high-pitched yelp. "Yes. Listen to your son. Run like the coward you are!"
_ _
Truth be told, the canine was tired of running. He couldn't save Tomal's parents. He couldn't even dare to look at the lupine too long in case he became too attached to the little guy... Not anymore. With regained strength, the officer stumbled forward. Anger flashed in his eyes, frustration for being unable to be there when his son cried, disappointment in himself for being a terrible father, but mostly absolute rage for the arm wrapped around his son's body.
_ _
"Get your hands off of him," he whispered, his voice barely audible. A confused look replaced the crazed expression on the gunman's face, turned to the side as if he didn't quite hear something right. "I'll repeat it again. Get your fucking hands off my son!" Roaring in anger, the shepherd charged at the man, taking all caution to the wind, as he tackled the shocked person to the floor.
_ _
Amidst the final confrontation, one last shot was fired into the air, an echoing sound heard by none but the three remaining individuals in that nearly empty bookstore.
_ _
***
Arken's eyes drifted upwards. The rain must have stopped a while ago. The cashier was still absorbed in his magazine, ignoring the fact that the shepherd was probably past shop hours. The officer could care less. Overhead, the starry night sky replaced the once orange-pink backdrop of the sunset. A continuous, gentle breeze blew from the coffee shop's air condition to swipe lightly across the shepherd's ears. Strange how he never realized how cold it was beforehand.
_ _
Maybe it's because I already feel lifeless inside.
There was no warmth left inside him; that Arken knew for sure. He was able to put on a pretty convincing show for the lion behind the register, but the officer was an emotionless automaton behind that façade of bitterness. Well, then again, sadness was still an emotion, wasn't it? He certainly didn't feel 'alive.' Life was supposed to be when the people you loved where there with you. Without Tomal, he had nothing left in this world. When the wolf moved in with him, it was supposed to be a fresh start. Hell, they both knew they needed it. It was something the two of them were going to do... together.
"But now he's dead, and it's because of me..." Arken whimpered. Life just wasn't the same anymore. He covered his face with his palms and let the tears run down his leathery pads. Only a few hours before, they had been wiping away Tomal's own tears.
***
Blue.
_ _
Funny how life seemed to revolve around that color. The skies over Germany, the police officer uniform, the duffel bag... Tomal's eyes. Someone really had a sense of humor when painting this life portrait. Probably represented suffering for all eternity.
_ _
As Arken opened his eyes for the first time in a while, he saw a white, uneven plastered ceiling. Still not knowing where he was, he turned to the side, greeted by yet another white surface. The dog chuckled a little, even if it hurt his stomach. "Thank God, it's not blue."
_ _
"Mr. Spera. You're awake." The speaker broke through the shepherd's thoughts, and Arken, struggling to do so, was able to make a successful attempt to turn his head. An old badger, with thick glasses at the end of her pointed nose, gazed at him with studious eyes. "You've been out for quite a while. Are you feeling okay?" He tried to nod, but that made him feel queasy and resulted in a massive headache. The sheppie gave her a blink of the eyes with a faint smile. She responded with a scribble on a piece paper and a curt shake of the head, her eyes never meeting his. Was it that bad? Damn. And he thought this day couldn't get any worse.
_ _
"Where's..." he breathed, speech becoming increasingly difficult. "Where's... my... son...?" The doctor showed an apologetic smile, her whiskers twitching nervously as she struggled to come up with an answer.
_ _
"He's... here. In the hospital." Ouch. Not what he wanted to hear. It didn't have to be something bad, right? Tomal could be waiting outside the room right now. "Tomal Spera, correct?" Arken nodded the best he could manage (which was just a twitch of his neck). At least the badger understood the movement. "Um, are you sure you--"
_ _
The dog sighed in irritation. "Yes... I'm sure." She bit her cheek, her paws fiddling together in her lap, as the badger moved her swivel chair closer to lean into his ear. He really was getting impatient now.
_ _
"He's in critical condition."
_ _
What?
_ _
Arken felt his breath catch in his throat. "No, that can't be." She was lying right? She just had to be.
_ _
"I'm sorry, sir. The gunshot hit him in the neck, where it came into contact with a major artery." The badger lent a comforting paw over his, and the officer squeezed it tight. "They are performing surgery on him right as we speak."
_ _
He forced his mouth open before the nerves would screw it back shut. "And...? Will he... you know..." The dog didn't dare say the next few words. Not as if he could anyway.
Her lips turned grim, a vacant expression on her face. "There is an ninety percent chance that he will not survive the surgery. His body has nearly gone into shock." She looked away, trying to avoid staring directly into the dog's eyes. Arken restrained the howl building in his chest but could not prevent the tears that came flowing down his eyes.
_ _
"T-Tomal..." He made to grab at the IVs still attached to arms, yanking at them with little force.
_ _
"Sir, what are you doing?!"
_ _
Freeing himself from the cocoon of plastic tubes, Arken stood up, holding his hospital bed for balance. "I need to see my son..."
_ _
"B-But sir! Your injuries are still--" The badger stopped mid-sentence as she gazed at the fiery determination in the German shepherd's eyes. The look of a man who had nothing else to risk... Nothing but the life still left in his veins. She fell back into her seat, the sight taking an almost scary-like quality. Arken left the room at once, with no complaints from the doctor.
_ _
The canine, still dressed in the hospital garment, hurried down the hallway, Arken peeking through the window in each door as he went. He stopped as he reached the intensive care unit for the hospital. "Tomal must be in there..." His heart pounded as he gradually stepped into the room, each step painfully slower than the previous.
_ _
What if he wakes up in the middle of the operation?
_ _
What if he never turns back to the Tomal before?
_ _
What if he's already dead?
_ _
That last question frightened him the most.
_ _
He glanced around in the ICU. The unit could be most accurately described as several rooms joined together. Off to one side was the "isolation" room, where patients with potentially fatal and contagious diseases were placed. However, Arken was more focused on the chamber beside that one.
_ _
"Tomal..."
_ _
"A-Arken, is that y-you?" The wolf's voice was faint, so soft that the shepherd had to lean forward to hear Tomal's delicate tone.
_ _
Arken stumbled towards the hospital bedside, his knees shaking to support the body that threatened to collapse any time soon. He nodded sadly. "Yeah. It's me."
_ _
"I'm glad." The grey lupine seemed almost joyful at his response. "At least I'm not seeing things," Tomal murmured, half-giggling and half-coughing.
_ _
"H-How can you laugh at a time l-like this? Y-You're dying, and it's all my fault!"
_ _
The wolf shook his head, his paw outstretched as if wanting to hold his father one last time before he left this world. Arken whined, letting their fingers touch and clasp together.
_ _
"It's not your fault," Tomal retaliated. "After a-all, 'everyone makes mistakes.'"
_ _
The canine refused his explanation, the officer no longer trying to hold back the tears for his son. He wanted to see Tomal off with a smile, but that was no longer possible.
_ _
"Y-Yeah, but this m-mistake cost me your life."
_ _
Tomal never lost that upbeat attitude of his, the lupine rolling his eyes in amusement to Arken's denial. "I'll die eventually, dad. It's harsh but true. And b-besides," he said, gently massaging his thumb over the dog's paw in a comforting manner. "Who says this has to be the end?" Tomal gestured to his duffel bag situated in the corner of the room, as if the bag was watching this scene unfold the entire time. "This wolf still has a few tricks up his sleeve. I'm not done yet."
_ _
Arken had to laugh at the wolf's light-heartedness, the reason why the shepherd loved his son more than anything. "Not done with this old man yet, huh, son?"
_ _
Tomal grinned. "Nah, you're not that old. But you're right. I'll see you soon." His expression turned serious once more. "I... I love you, Arken." He squeezed the dog's paw tight.
_ _
"I love you, too, Tomal."
_ _
The wolf sighed happily and closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion of staying awake take over him. Arken still held on to Tomal's paw like a lifeline.
_ _
Even until the paw went limp in his grasp...
_ _
***
"Tomal, I still miss you..."
The wolf had brought happiness in his life, an emotion he had never truly felt in such a long time. Arken still remembered the waning warmth on his pads as he held Tomal's paw. He felt his heart shatter in pieces, tiny fragments, as Tomal's eyes closed while he lay on the hospital bed.
Even in death, the wolf never stopped smiling.
Arken couldn't deal with the pain, the loss of a son that he had so little time knowing. As quickly as he earned a new person in his life, it was stolen away from him. And so he did the first thing that he could think of.
He ran, fleeing out of the hospital and ignoring the curious looks from passerby. Logic just seemed to evaporate, like the life in Tomal's body as Arken watched from his bedside. When he arrived back home, he was greeted with equally enormous pain. The furniture, the garden, the bedroom, everything reminded him of the wolf. Even his scent lingered in the house, like a tormenting nightmare.
Why Tomal? Why do you do this to me?
The only place that the officer could think of to get away, a place that not even Tomal had ever been to, was the coffee shop a few blocks from the local precinct. Changing out of his hospital gown, Arken had headed to the coffee shop to forget, to drown his memories in sorrow. But even until now, one thought circulated in the German shepherd's mind.
I loved you so much...
Yet, the canine was too absorbed in his misery to hear the whistling chime of the coffee shop door opening. Blinded with his own depression, he did not see the steel-gray tail that ended with cute wisps of white. Arken, too heartbroken by the loss of someone he held dear, could not feel the familiar breath of a young wolf.
A voice, however, broke through the clouds of despair and filled the German shepherd's heart with hope.
"Mister, please don't cry."
The shepherd jerked upwards.
C-could it be?
He slowly turned around, the anticipation building with each second that passed. Looking underneath the series of bandages that encircled the wolf's face, the policeman made out the light, cerulean eyes that brimmed with happiness.
"Tomal..."
"Hey dad," the wolf said, his hand waving shyly in that innocent five year-old style that only Tomal could pull off and still exude that atmosphere of wisdom about him.
"I-It really is you."
The lupine groaned, shaking his head back and forth. "I did say that there were a few tricks left up my sleeve. Also, I don't remember every saying goodbye... mmph!" Arken interrupted Tomal mid-sentence with an affectionate hug.
"Y-you're alive. I... I'm so glad." Embracing the younger fur in his arms, Arken, still crying heavily, breathed in the wolf's familiar musky scent. It smelled like the early morning dew combined with the relaxing, earthy aroma of grass. A scent that was purely Tomal. He also smelled slightly of... flowers? Arken released the boy from his arms and gave a questioning expression, tilting his head slightly to the side.
Tomal looked down, blushing deeply. "It's okay. H-here." From behind his back, the lupine pup revealed his hidden paw. He shakily held a brilliant red stem, its edges coated with soft lavender blue petals. They emanated a light scent of freshly-ground pepper, the kind that Arken loved to use when he cooked for his 'son.'
"Are these...?" Tomal nodded sheepishly.
"Yeah. I saw them growing by the road and I thought," he scratched his head nervously, "that you would like to see them." The shepherd could feel the tears welling up again. Concerned, the pup hastily placed the flower back onto the coffee table and hugged his 'father.' "P-Please don't cry. I d-didn't mean to make you... mmph!" For the second time that day, the wolf pup was interrupted once more, but this time with the shepherd's lips grazing his own.
With a response like that, Arken had to laugh. "No son. I'm not sad." As if to emphasize the point, the officer pressed the wolf gently between the ribs, earning the canine a cute giggle. "I'm just so happy that you're here with me."
That kiss... It never should have happened. They may not have the same blood, but they were still father and son. But neither could deny how right it felt when their muzzles had met. This time, both furs leaned closer, the connection between their eyes never broken, as their lips met once again, and this time, their tongues, into a more passionate display of love. Arken could have sworn that he saw the lion giving a thumbs-up in the background.
Pervert...
Still, as the officer held the wolf cub in his arms, he knew that everything was going to be all right. Arken inhaled a deep breath, something he had denied himself the pleasure to have for a while.
The coffee shop smelled a lot better than it did when he first arrived.
***
_ _
The wolf spoke, his luminous amber eyes observing the moving wall of crystal in clear fascination.
_ _
"What?"
_ _
Tomal grinned, giving the policeman a flick on the nose. "The rain, silly."
_ _
The shepherd stared at him confused. "You're just saying that."
_ _
The pup shook his head, favoring the sight of cascading water once more.
_ _
"Lupine flowers are symbolic for the imagination. Wolves were once thought of as creatures of evil, servants of Satan himself." Tomal glanced back to his 'father,' who met his eyes. "But we aren't. We're more than evil. We can love and cherish like everyone else. Appearances aren't everything."
_ _
Tomal leaned closer, the gray fur of his muzzle tickling Arken's face, and whispered softly into the shepherd's ear. The officer's cheeks reddened, but he couldn't help but smile.
_ _
"Kind of like you, Arken. You're a lupine flower. You look scary on the outside, but," the wolf continued, as if the world was turning silent, hanging on to those last unspoken words...
_ _
"I think I wouldn't trust anyone else more, than how much I trust you."
_ _
Arken felt the tears rising in his ears as he interlaced his paw with Tomal's, letting the happiness overtake him and fill his soul to the point of bursting with joy.
_ _
"I love you dad."
_ _
"I love you too, my son."