of childhood and paper cranes

Titania Moonsong · 01-12-2012, 03:10 AM

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WC 1034

Childhood was certainly a thing to only be appreciated by those who could not have it. Children were notorious for trying to grow up too quickly, for not appreciating the leisure that was youth, always wanting responsibility and to be seen as an adult. Titania had always been one of them the moment she became self aware, and she had abandoned her childhood without so much as a glance over her shoulder when she became the founding Alphess of New Dawn. For now she had no idea what she had given up. Later, perhaps things would change...

The stories of many of her pack members had been with her ever since that day at the mound near the den, and from time to time when Titania wasn't focusing on something specific their trying tales would come to mind. It seemed everyone had a fascinating story to tell wrought with as much strife, if not more, than joy. Knowing what they all had been through saddened her, yet she also tried to draw hope from each journey. If they had been through this much she doubted there was anything that could hurt New Dawn, an inspiring thought for such a young pack. If she tried hard enough she could learn from their experiences and hopefully be all the stronger for it. And at the same time it began to give her a perspective on the world that she had never known before.

She used to think that her mother and father were erroneously overprotective. She understood any good wolf wanting to protect their lot but thought that they took it to the extreme, but if every wolf she knew now had dealt with such sorrow perhaps they had reason to guard her and Juliet like they were precious jewels. She knew something had even happened within her own family to make them act like that, but had thought it was an isolated incident. Apparently tragedy was more commonplace than comedy.

It was solemn contemplation that had the Alphess at the stream now, appearing to give rapt attention to the trickling waters when in fact she was lost in reverie. Her golden eyes stared at the stream though saw no water nor ice even as it babbled down its rocky route. It wasn't until the white wolf spoke that her thoughts were broken, though strangely enough the conversation he brought with him may have something to do with the vein of her reflection.

An ear turned toward him first, her neck twisting so she could see him just a moment after. He approached with utter respect for her station, as he always did. The only time he denied her authority was before he was a member of New Dawn, and that was only when she had gone to the extreme to sniff at his throat. She didn't blame him for that. He did not know her then, nor was she his Alphess. Now she suspected he would let her, but he didn't deserve the disrespect of the attempt. She let it alone, Shandom was more than just posture and politics.

Yet his posturing was in full force now as he all but crawled over the tightly packed snow towards her. She was almost surprised to see how he prostrated himself today. Luckily the snow here was thin or else the man might have sunk right into it at that height.

“Shandom,” she breathed his name and it sounded more like the whisper of Mother Nature than her own voice. She was going to ask him what troubled him but realized he meant to still speak, and he answered her question already. Her eyes looked him over with warmth before she turned her body to face him – though remained half laying on her side.

She remembered the story Shandom had confessed before the pack and herself. It had taken bravery to tell as many details as he had, yet there was something more in his history that Titania needed to know. He had spoken of so much heartbreak, but somewhere in there he confessed his guilt to a crime which he would not mention. She wanted to know, for New Dawn's sake and for Shandom's sake, what had happened.

“Your story,” she nodded gently, but was silent for a moment as it all came back to her, the details that she could remember. She hoped her memory was not too choppy, for she had taken in many histories that evening and might have confused some of the details. A moment later she rose to her paws and moved over to him, licking his forehead and rubbing his muzzle with her own. “Thank you for your honor. You come to me as a courageous wolf.” And with that her muscles relaxed, body becoming casual, and she hoped her posture and affection was enough to show Shandom that he may stand at ease now.

“So, you're ready to tell? I'm glad you came to me,” she had hoped it would be this way, that he would have picked up on her interest in his background and approach her about it. She knew this matter needed to be discussed when the time was right for Shandom, and she did not want to appear the nosy youth or the control freak by going to him and demand that he tell her. Had she been kept to wait for too long, though, she would have.

“We all deserve our privacy,” the unspoken part was 'except from the Alphas' “And you may choose who knows whatever it is you are about to reveal to me. Only Zalen will I tell. Other than that your story is not mine to give... of course, if you would rather hold council with Zalen yourself, that is fine too, but no secrets will be kept between Alphas.” Her words ended in a closed-mouth smile, warm and affectionate. Her eyes sought Shandom's, but only to peer into his soul and not to force submission upon him – Titania was fast developing a talent for separating her official dominance stares and the looks that were meant to encourage and warm the heart.

Image courtesy of mourner@Flickr; table by the Mentors!

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