[html]
The sun was just beginning to appear over the horizon. Kansas had always been amazed by how quickly the sun rose; it seemed like he could look away for just a moment and the sun would already be much higher in the sky. He'd been curious about the sun since his childhood; what made it come and go, where it went when it was dark outside. Why it was cold in the winter even when the sun was out. He understood most of these things now, with the books he'd read, and the things he'd been taught by his parents and others around him. But there were still always questions.
He'd finally begun to wake up at his usual early time; Savina was still asleep in their room. Since Mati's visit last week, Kansas had been thinking a lot more about what it would be like to have his own puppies. The idea was as frightening as it was exciting. Now, sitting on the porch with his Shakespeare book in his lap, he watched the sunrise, but his mind was somewhere else. When he thought it was light enough to read, Kansas opened the book, turned to the page he'd dog-eared and found his place in The Taming of the Shrew. Perhaps it would help him relax.
|
[/html]
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... ump/05.png); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;">
It was just another morning and another chance to scare the darkness off with the sun as her partner. The game she played on the mornings she got up earlier then the rest was a little childish, but still she ran towards the horizon to watch the sun rise and shoo the shadows away. Of course as she grew she was quieter about it, none of the screaming and laughing that she had indulged in not long ago. But she was growing and growing, and it began to seem silly to partake in such childish game. They were her favorite though, making them hard to let go.
With the gloom of night fading she felt confident in the sun’s place in the sky and turned to head back to the mansion. Large round paws filled the prints that indented the snow’s surface, likely made by some adult wolf. It took her a moment to realize that her own toes fit perfectly in the curves. With the idea fresh in her mind she turned her walk into a run, making fresh prints of her own. Forgetting that things were changing so drastically, Mati ran until the house was in view, slowing only when the fence was behind her.
Huffing a little she slowed to a walk before taking to the steps. The sight of the grown male sitting on the stoop startled her. Oh, hi. she blurted, hoping that he hadn’t noticed her outburst a nervous smile graced her face. Her breath back to its easy pace and Mati was able to focus the attention on something else. You read? The book on his lap made it a rhetorical question, though she had been caught looking at the unrecognizable words, and the few images that frequented the books she was used to. Maybe he just liked the pictures.
[/html]
[html]
Sorry for the wait... D:
He remembered his childhood games. And he longed for them at times. He recalled running around in the snow, kicking it up into powdery swirls as he did so. He'd liked chasing the shadows and wondering what made them. Firefly was usually close behind (or, more likely, ahead), before she'd left. Sometimes he really wanted those days back, but they'd slipped away from him like water through his fingers. And there was nothing he could do about it except bring his playfulness back at times, like he had so many weeks ago with Firefly.
Kansas discovered that he was reading the same line over and over again without understanding it. A noise pricked his ears, and he lifted his eyes to the field ahead of the house. Someone was nearing, running through the snow, as happy as could be. He grinned and watched her, not realizing until she was very close that the wolf was Mati. She had gotten so big. Did puppies really grow that fast? If he and Savina had children, would they grow up so quickly that he wouldn't realize it? The idea was frightening.
But Mati still had innocence about her, in her abashed eyes and nervous smile. "Oh—hi, Mati," he returned, still a little surprised by her sudden appearance. She came closer, looking at the book he held in his lap. Her question warranted a nod from the cream-colored boy. "Yes. This is Shakespeare—eh, he was a famous human writer. I like his stories." He gave her a small smile. "Has Nani... Has your mom begun to teach you yet?"
|
[/html]
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... ump/05.png); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> ohhh… no worries!
Mati knew that books held stories, the type that Anu told her and the others at bedtime, though those came from her head rather then pages. They were filled with creatures that only came from the imagination, mythical and far more amazing then Mati could truly believe. Of course when she was smaller she had, but now that she was grown she knew better.
Sitting beside him, Mati looked to his face as he spoke. Remembering how fun he had been and knowing how happy he made her aunt Savina she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him. The name he spoke was foreign, but intriguing. Whats this one about? She was sure if Kansas liked it that she would too. No, she hasn’t. Reading didn’t seem like the most important skill to have, like hunting and tracking would, but Mati wanted to free the stories trapped in the books that lined the library’s walls.
Who taught you to read?
[/html]
[html]
He didn't spend as much time reading as he used to. Since Savina had come into his life, Kansas had realized that there were more important things he needed to do; he didn't have as much free time on his hands. He liked that. It didn't do someone much good to hole up reading all the time. But he still loved books, loved the magic concealed between their covers. Now he read for pleasure rather than for an escape. It was more enjoyable that way.
She was smiling at him. He loved the light in the child's eyes, something he'd noticed the morning she had come into his and Savina's room. He wondered if his children could be as happy as Mati was. His baby blue gaze flickered to the pages for a few seconds after she'd questioned him. "I haven't gotten too far on this one. It's called The Taming of the Shrew. So far, it's about two kind of... silly men who go to a show about a mean woman." He paused. The play seemed kind of odd to him; he'd liked Romeo and Juliet much better. 'Your mother taught me, a long time ago." He smiled. "Would you... would you like to learn?" He'd love to teach her. It wasn't too important a skill—but it was useful at times. Reading had brought him a lot of pleasure; perhaps it could do the same for her.
|
[/html]
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... ump/05.png); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;">
The Taming of the Shrew Mati processed the title, and listened to the explanation. It was utterly confusing. Something about men seeing a show? She didn’t really know what a show was, or anything about the theater. But not understanding the concept didn’t deter her from wanting to know more, and actually read a word or two.
I would love to. Mati had always been one for learning new things and though she was bright, she wasn’t one for self teaching.
His other words began to sink in, a little slower then his exciting offer. Her mother? Naniko? She had taught Kansas to read? The questions were interesting ones, though one was much more pressing. Letting her energy recede and calm Mati wondered aloud, Have you always known my mom? Though she spoke of Anu as mom too, Mati figured he would know which one she was talking about. She didn’t want to get to far away from learning to read, but she couldn’t help indulge her curiosity.
[/html]
[html]
Holy god, sorry for the wait yet again. Would you like to do a fade-to-black after a few more posts?
Kansas had wondered what the title of the play could possibly mean, but now he'd connected it to the woman the men were trying to improve the woman's behavior. There were so many deeper meaning within Shakespeare's writings, those that went much further than just a silly title. Reading this book make him feel like he had jewels in his mouth. He hoped perhaps Mati might feel the same way someday.
He grinned widely, very obviously pleased that she wanted to learn. More that she didn't mind him teaching her. "Okay, great." He reached for his worn black satchel. As he opened it and began to sift through its contents, he listened to Mati's curious question. And he did know she was speaking of Naniko. "Well, not always..." he said, pulling out a crudely-sharpened pencil and a few scraps of paper. "I've known her since I was a little younger than you. She's a good friend of mine." Hopefully, Mati need never find out about his and her mother's rocky history.
Using the book as a writing surface, he scratched a sentence on the paper. My name is Mati. "Different letters have different sounds. These," he pointed to the different symbols, "are letters. They form words, and the words form ideas..."
|
[/html]
[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/ ... oodles.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;">
Sure thing! This was fun 
Maybe there would be something hidden in the words. Something that could be found, like the different colors that Mati saw in what others would call bland or muddled. Would there be room for her to make her own interpretation of the combined letters? It was a brand new mystery.
She settled down beside him, readying herself for her new lesson. She was experienced in such school like situations, her mothers always expected her to pay full attention when being taught. Though other education had been life necessities, like hunting, Mati placed just as much focus on the scrap of paper he drew from his bag.
Mati was happy to know that Kansas had been a friend of her mothers for such a long time. It gave the pack history, bonded them deeper then just the forming of a few rouge wolves. They were family, each of them tied together in blood and experience. Kansas began, and her mind returned to the present. Ears perked as he started to teach, the ideas expanding her mind and broadening her knowledge. A smile remained on her face, the story were just about to begin.
[/html]
[html]
It sure was! I'll go ahead and archive this.
He smiled to himself as the girl eagerly moved to sit beside him, watching him with bright eyes. He could already tell she would be a good student, like Savina. Honestly, he'd been afraid that teaching the youngster a new skill would be uncomfortable for him. He might do it wrong, she might not learn because of him. But he felt completely okay with what he would show his young niece.
She grasped the concepts remarkably quickly. For the next hour or so, he went over the sounds that the letters in the sentence made, as well as a few letters that weren't in it. He found that teaching made him feel like he was doing something right: something meaningful for another individual. It was an incredible feeling.
|
[/html]
|
