Whispering Winds
#1 of Whispering Winds
_ I know I haven't posted anything for a long time on here, so I suppose that I'll just have to break the long silence eh? This is just a short short, it was supposed to open up into something bigger, but then Life happened, and we all know how that is. _
Faren sat alone on a hill over-looking the clan's den site, his eyes softly shut as he listened to the world around him. Night had fallen over the land, and the clan was sleeping. As the black wolf sat there listening, he heard a whisper. His ears pricked slightly at the sound. Knowing all too well what it was, he merely continued to listen to the whispering wind. The wind spoke to him, told him of what was to come, and shared with him the secrets it carried. No one else he knew could do this: listen to the wind. The wolf inhaled slowly through his nose, detecting a small trace of something distinct. Opening his eyes, Faren rose to all-fours and made his way down the other side of the hill away from the den site. After traveling for a ways, he came to a stop, his gaze aimed at a small patch of brush.
"You bring news?" There came a soft snort followed by a rustling sound. Out from the brush emerged a slender female.
"You knew I was here" It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Faren nodded slightly, "Yes, I knew you were here. You've been there all this time, watching me. Now, I ask again. What news do you bring to my pack?"
The she-wolf bowed her head slightly as she replied, "Lord Bane wishes to seek council from you, for there has arisen a situation that is most severe near the eastern border"
"When must I be there?"
"Before the next moon"
He nodded then sighed softly. The next moon was due in seven days, which meant that he'd have to leave as soon as possible. The wind gently swirled around him, though this remained unseen by the she-wolf. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he reopened them and looked back to her.
"You're to accompany me there" She blinked in surprise, but nodded mutely, "Very well, I will see to my pack before I leave" He then turned and began padding back up the hill.
"But sir, time is of the essence-" Stopping, Faren looked back at her with a glare and she quickly shut her mouth and looked away.
After she had looked away, the black wolf resumed making is way up the hill. Yes, he knew of what was stirring up in the east, and it was nothing good. The lands beyond the eastern border were dangerous and full of evil, ancient evil. He reached the top of the hill, pausing to look down upon his clan's den site before taking a deep breath and making his way down. Once he reached the site itself, he made a slight change in direction and headed for a particular hole in the ground. Upon reaching it, Faren took a moment to sniff at the air that hung about the entrance, unable to resist a small grin before heading inside. Before he reached the sleep chamber, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Done with watch duties already dear?" The voice of his mate rang about in his head, a crystal clear, beautiful sound. He was going to miss it so very much.
"My watch had to be cut short due to a matter of utmost importance, may I come to you?" He waited for her reply, which was short in coming.
"Yes, but be quiet. The pups are sleeping and I don't want them to wake"
Slowly he entered the sleep chamber and looked across to the owner of the voice, curled up a few paces away was Seiferen, his mate. Even in darkness her silver fur shone bright. Nestled against her belly were five small bundles of fur, as Faren looked upon his sons and daughters, a warmth came into his heart. The she-wolf waited patiently for him to speak.
When he did, he spoke with a gentle tone, "A courier visited me while I was watching over the den site. She brought with her a summoning order from Lord Bane, he seeks my council on matters of great importance. I must leave now"
Seiferen listened to all this quietly, not making even the slightest sound as she did. Once Faren finished, she spoke with a question, "How long?"
The black wolf closed his eyes for several moments before reopening them, the words he spoke next felt like huge burdens upon his tongue, but once they left his mouth they became weightless, "Two years at the most, but this is only a guess, and a wide one at that"
Silence fell over the den, filling the air around them with solemn tension. The wind had told him how long he'd be gone. But it also told him something else, something that was going to happen to him. Something he couldn't bring himself to say. But a mate's instincts were sharp, and the she-wolf could tell he was hiding something.
"There's more, isn't there? I can see the look of worry in your eyes Faren. There is something you're holding from me"
He nodded, lowering his head in the slightest way before saying, "There is a chance that I may not be coming back, a chance that I may die" The words hung over them like a shroud of darkness, darkness which reached deep into both of them and clutched at their hearts.
After another long moment, the she-wolf opened her mouth, "The pups will lead difficult lives without a father to guide them, are you sure that this decision is wise?"
Shaking his head, the black wolf replied, "No, it is not. But I cannot ignore the summons, to do so would mean to risk becoming a traitor as well as risking banishment of our entire clan. I have done everything I could to ensure that our pups would lead a safe life, a life away from the dangers of the Badlands. Star Wolf strike me down if I throw that all away. As their mother, you can guide them, this I know you will do because you wish the same of their future as I do. I will miss watching them grow up, but should fate deem me the opportunity to return I will take it without a second thought"
Seiferen nodded softly, a single tear welling up beneath her left eye. Faren stepped forward, licking the tear away and pressing his forehead to hers. They stayed this way for awhile before he finally stepped back. The she-wolf took a deep breath then said, "The entire clan will miss you greatly, but none will miss you more than I"
He slowly turned away, but before he left he looked back over his shoulder at her, "Farewell, and may the Star Wolf watch over you. All of you"
Then he looked away and left the den, coming out into the open and stopping for a brief moment so that he could gaze upon his home one last time. The large black wolf then turned and loped off in the direction of the hill, his heart heavy with sadness...