- HUMBLE'S PRIDE xx [kujo]

[Deleted]

It was a still, quiet evening.

The wind dared not breathe. The stars dared not peer. The moon remained hidden behind the clouds, and the trees didn't even whisper. All of nature stood still as a small, lonely figure moved silently between the trees. Most creatures would be asleep by now, but this one was restless. He strode slowly and silently among the trees. His paws made the lightest tread, so as not to disturb the leaves on the forest floor. He didn't have a purpose tonight. He was meant to be resting, so that in the morning he could continue his search for Aleru, but he simply couldn't sleep. Not even the quiet, still beauty of the pool could lull him to sleep. So he ghosted the forest that he had recently come upon. Going here and there, never really settling in any single place.

Wish..

He froze, ears swiveling silently. Eyes remained focused ahead as he slowly drew the scents around him into his system through his nose and mouth. Only a hare, as his instinct told him, and not a very healthy one. Which made sense; why would a healthy hare be wandering in the night? He would only be killed, but a skinny, old, or sick one would need food, no matter how dangerous a situation he would be placing himself in. Either he would die of his ailment, or die by a predator. Normally, Kaze would have hunted it, despite it's condition, but he was starving himself on purpose. What if he found Aleru tomorrow? He was always a much better hunter when he was famished, even though it was completely backwards for it to be so. Most wolves were driven by there hunger, when they were very hungry, so much that it would cause them to make crucial mistakes. But when they were full, they had the liberty of mind to focus and hone their abilities. However, Kamikaze had been born a hunter. When his stomach became sore, his mind became absolutely controlled. When he was full, he became uninterested in the hunt, although part of this was because of the respect for other creatures that his father had taught him. Never hunt unless you need to eat, his father used to always say at the beginning of a lesson. "Hunt as you would be hunted" was his motto. You wouldn't like to be hunted for sport.

Nevertheless, the wolf became absolutely silent, quieting his breathing and slowing his heart rate with long, deep breaths. He waited, ears poised, until he heard the very quiet rustling, about fifty yards away. Slowly and cautiously, he moved forward, easing himself into his hunter's crouch. His crouch was also slightly different to that of a normal wolf's. He pushed himself much closer to the earth than most, and took much larger strides as he stalked his prey. He had always found it to be most effective, but it also worked much better because of his small size. His ears remained focused on the sound, and his advancement was completely silent. It dragged on, getting ever closer. Forty yards, thirty yards, twenty yards, ten... The closer he got, the slower he moved, until he was only seven yards away from his prey. He spotted the little hare as it stopped, ears erect, nose working away madly, and eyes wide open, scanning the area. He froze completely, waiting as the rabbit took it's time, making sure that it was safe. He got a good look at it too: it was incredibly skinny, and by the looks of it, a little sick too, which had probably resulted from malnutrition. Finally, the rabbit turned slightly, nosing in the dead leaves once more. The ghost was able to gain another couple of paces before the creature gazed around for danger once more. And once again, it looked for a long time before turning away. Kaze silently stole another pace, before the creature looked up once more. Obviously, the creature was aware of the danger of being out at this time of day, and was also likely more cautious by his condition. This process repeated twice more before Kaze was able to gain his favored position. He was patient. His mouth watered at the very sight and scent of the hare only a few paces away from him, but he was able to remain focused without much trouble.

As the hare glanced up once more, he very purposely swept his tail just the slightest amount. Instantly, the hare saw the movement and dashed in the opposite direction. Kaze smiled, waited only a moment, and gave chase. He opened his mouth slightly, ears erect, eyes focused ahead of him as well as slightly to the left and right of him. He moved swiftly, cutting the hare off one way, and then chasing him once more to cut him off from the other. He played this game with the hare until it was clear that it would soon die of a heart-attack, practicing catching prey that was almost out of reach. He even once let it run so far that he had to once more resume his hunter's crouch and stalk it again. But he kept it within a fifty meter perimeter of it's original point where he had first startled it, always cutting off it's escape without actually catching it. He could easily have caught and killed it more than a hundred times, but this was practice. When he was satisfied with his training he leapt upon the poor hare, trapping it to the ground for mere seconds. He was very careful not to injure it in the slightest. His hunger almost overcame him as he held his prey in his paws, but he forced himself to release it quickly, so that he would not eat.

He panted with the exertion of the chase, satisfied with his ability.

For now.

words one.zero.zero.four
tags Kujo
ooc not bad (: your turn, Nam!!

[Deleted]

The night was silent, and he had no idea what he was doing here. He was supposed to be sleeping in his packland, in the safety of the den, but for some reason, he couldn't stay still. Something in his heart made him go out an explore, and it had happened to him a few times before, so it was no surprise. What was beyond the borders of his father's packlands? It was only a matter of walking away from the borders, just for one night--it wouldn't hurt, no one would know, and he would satisfy his sudden urge to explore beyond his father's territories. However, the lingering thought of danger never escaped from his psyche--what if something went wrong? What if he was kidnapped, or even killed? These thoughts were invading his mind, making his heart accelerate quickly, yet it was too late to go back now--he was already too far from his den, and he was already walking towards the unknown... but it was just for one night. He would be back before dawn.

The stars twinkled above him, yet the clouds began to cover them and the moon. There was something about the night that made Kujo feel... fascinated, to say the least. The stars, the beautiful moon, and the way the world changed when night time arrived made everything filled with wonders, and it elevated his imagination for some reason. He felt at ease, and even if he adored sun light, he cherished the night even more. His steps were cautious, and his eyes were always on the move, scanning the areas around him for any signs of danger. His surroundings began to change and transform into a beautiful forest, somewhat similar to his favorite forest back home. His body moved gracefully between the foliage, yet it didn't go unnoticed--his white fur stood out against the dark like a lantern. 

As he walked, he halted to a sudden stop, and his heartbeat began to rise tenfold. "Crap, why didn't I stay sleeping in the safety of my home?" A wolf that mirrored his appearance to an extent entered the scene before him. He appeared to be hunting, yet for some reason, once he caught the animal, he willingly let it go. Kujo raised an invisible brow at the actions of the stranger, yet he wouldn't question his methods--maybe he was just practicing and he was not hungry at all. Walking towards the stranger, he made sure his body language was showing signs of relaxation, yet for some odd reason, he couldn't speak. He was nervous and even if he tried to calm himself down, he couldn't speak. But as soon as he further observed the male in front of him, he seemed very young like him. That made him feel a little bit at ease, yet his heart beat was betraying his mind. His maw opened hesitantly, as if wanting to utter words, and his front right leg lifted in the air as if wanting to take another step, but he failed to do so. Taking a deep breath, he managed to speak softly to the stranger, hoping to be heard. "H-Hey... I'm no threat, okay? Ah..." 

----

ooc: sorry for the wait sweetiepie <3
words: 547
@kamikaze 

[Deleted]

SPEECH.

The ghost had only stood panting for a moment, a goofy grin of pride on his maw, when suddenly snowy ears stood erect. He turned his eyes to his right, to find a pair of green eyes staring back at him. They belonged to a wolf who was almost a replica of himself, the main difference being his snowy coat was untainted. Kamikaze's mystical eyes stared for a moment, and the other's green eyes stared back. It was as if the two were paralyzed by the eye contact, for neither moved much or spoke, or was seemingly able to look away. They stayed like this for several seconds before the stranger slowly moved closer. As he grew closer, Kaze quickly noticed the look of strain and anxiety in the green eyes, betraying the stranger, despite his attempt to force his body into relaxation. He succeeded in that; his body language was very docile and non-threatening, and his slow steps backed this up. As the stranger grew closer, some of the anxiety seemed to go away, and he hesitantly lowered his jaw, but uttered no words. He lifted a forepaw, and then thought better of advancing more. Kamikaze opened his own lips at the same moment as the stranger.

Uhh...Can I help you?

H-Hey... I'm no threat, okay? Ah...

Kamikaze laughed merrily at once at their simultaneous "introductions". He was in an oddly good mood, most likely resulting from his practice. His mystical grey-blue eyes swirled happily, and the blue became more evident.

I'm Kamikaze, stranger. And you?

His speech wasn't very smooth, as he had spent at least half of his lifetime in solitude, and had therefore not had much practice, but he tried to display genuine friendliness, as this stranger seemed friendly enough himself. Kaze stood watching him, analyzing him slowly.

words three.one.one
tags Kujo
ooc ew ;-; sorry for the crappiness. and after such a lovely opener! x.x it makes me depressed. but here you go!

[Deleted]

Kujo laughed heartily when the two of them spoke at the same time, yet still hidden beneath his laugh, one could still sense his nervousness. Kujo heard his name, and made a very small head tilt--it was a very interesting name, and it even sounded foreign; however, it wasn't so far off the strange chart as his was. Such a calm wolf with a strong-sounding name seemed contradictory even to the snowy wolf himself. Kujo smiled and gulped, still trembling due to the scare of the encounter, even if he could clearly see that this stranger meant no harm. "Hello, Kamikaze. My name is Kujo," he spoke softly. Trying to not let any awkward pauses stumble in, he quickly asked him the first question that popped inside his mind. "So, uh... are you alone?" Looking around, he hoped that Kamikaze wasn't a decoy so that Kujo would be easily ambushed. He had to make sure that this wolf in front of him was truly and sincerely alone before proceeding with his calming down process.

His mind began to betray him, however--his levels of anxiety were sky rocketing. What if his father or siblings noticed his disappearance? What if they make a search party to find him? Maybe they're worried sick. At least Kujo wouldn't be lost on his way back because he had marked his way as he came here, but still the thoughts of anxiety were crippling his mind. "I'm sorry if I seem all jumpy and scared. I'm... I'm uh... I'm somewhat far from my pack. I just wanted to explore. Y'know, curiosity and stuff." He stumbled over his words, but it somehow helped him calm down, since he finally removed from his mind what was worrying him from the start. Sighing, he waited for Kamikaze's next moves. 

----
@kamikaze Sorry for the wait ;w;

[Deleted]

SPEECH.

When the male mirror laughed heartily at the same time as Kaze, it only lightened his heart further. The other still seemed quite nervous and high-strung though. Kaze slackened his stance further, trying to emanate calmness and friendliness as much as he could. The male smiled and gulped in response. Well, that's some progress, he thought to himself. He watched the other male closely, paying attention to every tensed muscle, and every relaxed one. The male tilted his head slightly when Kaze gave him his name, and then gulped. Kaze frowned slightly. Did this stranger find him threatening in some way? How could he? He was several inches taller than Kaze, and definitely weighed more. Kaze always felt small compared to others, for though he had grown, he had always remained smaller than all of his siblings. Or, at least, he assumed as much. He was smaller than most wolves. Or maybe that was an assumption as well? Afterall, he had only seen one or two wolves in passing since that tragic day...

But no. He would not let himself think anything of that fateful day. It would trigger an episode that he could not have at the moment. He would not allow himself to become so vulnerable to a complete stranger, especially one so nervous. Thankfully, the other wolf finally spoke, seizing Kaze's thoughts rather fully and quickly.

Hello, Kamikaze. My name is Kujo.

Kamikaze smiled warmly. He opened his own maw to speak when the other male spoke again, hardly pausing between the two sentences,

So, uh... are you alone?

Instantly, the male looked around, fear and suspicion jumping into his emerald orbs. The male seemed to be quickly heightening into a panic attack. Kaze quickly opened his mouth, searching for calming words, despite his lack of practice.

It's very nice to meet you, Kujo. Yes, I'm quite alone. I've been completely alone, without ever meeting a soul, for the past six months. Are you?

He thought that maybe asking Kujo a question might distract his mind from whatever was making him panic. Finally, much later than it should have taken him, Kaze thought that maybe sitting down would coax the male into a calmer mindset. Slowly, Kaze lowered his haunces into a sitting position. His tail settled loosely on the ground, in no particular fashion. Before he could do anything else, the male apologized for his anxiety, and in doing so, seemed to calm down quite a bit. Kaze smiled. So...this Kujo was still just a pup who had wandered away to explore and was anxious that he might be lost?

Fear not, Kujo. No harm will come to you. I may be young, but I will not allow anything to hurt you. You will return home safely to your pack, and you may have my word on that.

Unsure of how to continue, Kaze allowed his eyes to wander elsewhere. He noticed a red robin take flight from an oak tree. It reminded him of his aunt, Sydas, who had had the ability to talk to birds. She would always be snickering from some comment or another, and more often than not, she would refuse to translate. Insisting that what had been said was rude or unnecessary, she would keep the birds' words to herself. He smiled sadly, eyes trailing the robin until it disappeared from sight. A slight breeze picked up, ruffling his coat. After a moment, he turned back to his replica. How strange that this wolf's name also began with a 'K'. He wondered what it meant. Was the meaning fate-related as his name and his father's name had been? Or was it something else entirely?

Pardon me, but I find it quite interesting that your name as well as mine both begin with 'K', mostly because we are both white, though my coat is tainted and our eyes differ. I was just wondering...what does 'Kujo' mean?

He was trying to make conversation, but once again, his social awkwardness somewhat blocked this. So his conversation was uninteresting and very much unimportant. Still, his words were sincere, and he mostly hoped to distract the male from his tension and anxiety.

words seven.zero.seven
tags Kujo
ooc not bad (: not as good as my Kayi post xD but that's where all my muse is hiding out right now >> anyway, I hope this is workable, love<3 I really am looking forward to their friendship c: I could definitely see Kaze seeing Kujo as a brother. Possibly a "little" brother, even though they're basically the same age.

[Deleted]

Kujo's nerves tensed down a little bit once Kamikaze made clear that he was alone. A relieved expression took over his face as he felt the tensed muscles of his body relax a little bit more. He began to feel thankful that he had encountered someone that was not a threat, and with further analyzing from Kujo's part, seemed relaxed and at ease with him. Kujo decided to relax too, since it would seem rude to be defensive while this male was very relaxed and was trying to make him feel comfortable. Kujo let out an anxious sigh as she lowered his head a little bit to focus and try to calm down.

Kujo's anxiety levels began to fall down even more as the male assured him that no harm would come to him. Kujo's ears were tempted to flatten against his skull--how pathetic he was! He was about to turn two years old and he was still a weakling. He had to toughen up somehow, and it had to be fast. His eyes dampened a little bit but he quickly resisted the urges to cry, putting up a sweet smile to Kamikaze so that the latter would not notice the tears forming in his pale green eyes.

"Pardon me," his voice broke the silence between them; Kujo's ears perked quickly at the other's voice. "but I find it quite interesting that your name as well as mine both begin with 'K', mostly because we are both white, though my coat is tainted and our eyes differ. I was just wondering...what does 'Kujo' mean?" Kujo's head tilted instinctively at the snowy male's question. He had a point--even if Kujo was larger and fuller than Kamikaze, they still looked very much alike. Frowning a little bit in thought, he then looked at Kamikaze with his smile returning to his face.

"Kujo means an aggresive, strong wolf," he began to say, "and my parents told me that they named me that because I am the runt of my litter and they thought that I wouldn't make it. They named me something strong so I could always remember that I am not what everyone thinks I am. I am far stronger than I think... at least, that's what they say." Kujo mentally shrugged at his last statement, a hint of disbelief plastered across his face, but quickly disappearing as soon as it came.

Kujo began to wonder about Kamikaze's name meaning. It was odd, almost exotic, and Kujo really liked how it rolled off from his tongue. "What does Kamikaze mean, if you don't mind me asking? It's an odd name, and I mean it in a good way. I like the sound of it." A soft smile was growing in his face as he talked with the smaller male. Sitting down, finally feeling comfortable enough, he waited for Kamikaze's explanation...

ooc: @kamikaze done <3 sorry for the wait hun 
word count: 495

[Deleted]

SPEECH.

Kamikaze sat quietly, and was much relieved when Kujo seemed to relax. The snowy ghost couldn't tell if his mirror had relaxed from his words, or from his changed posture, but either way, he had relaxed. That was all that mattered. He seemed to truly relax, not just show the outward appearance of it. The other male lowered his head slightly, and when Kaze promised to protect him, and a small smile illustrated his maw. Kaze's returning smile was full of warmth. Good, he believes me. So far, besides the male's prolonged anxiety, this was a good first meeting for Kaze. He had heard so many tales from his father, Kismet, about first encounters that he hadn't expected this one to be so easy. One story in particular came to mind about a femme who his father had met who had been on the verge of leaving, screaming at him and growling. She had been absolutely terrified of him, simply because he was a male. Of course, weeks later, she had consented to be his mate, but at the moment, it was all intensity as Kismet fought to settle the she-wolf. In comparison, Kujo was just cautious. And it was quite apparent that this was his first outing from his packlands by himself; who wouldn't be anxious? Kaze himself would have been, had the tables been turned.

After a few minutes, a real smile appeared on Kujo's maw. Kaze only realized that it was real after he saw it, and was glad that his question had distracted the male. Kaze listened intently, snowy audits standing erect to catch every word as Kujo described not only the meaning of his name, but the reason behind it. A strong, aggressive wolf? Strong? Of that, Kaze had no doubt; even without seeing his particular skills, Kaze could see the strength lying under the snowy fur. But aggressive? He was the exact opposite. It made Kaze's smile turn up into a smirk slightly. Disbelief briefly flashed over the other male's face in return. As if both wolves were thinking doubtfully of the adjective aggressive. A few moments later, before Kaze could think of something else to say, the male's gentle tones reached his waiting ears.

What does Kamikaze mean, if you don't mind me asking? It's an odd name, and I mean it in a good way. I like the sound of it.

Kujo smiled easily as he finished, and Kaze smiled happily as the older male finally sat down. Slowly, but surely, he was making headway. It made him eager to get to know the other better. This eagerness brought out more of the blue in his eyes, and he happily answered the male with mild haste.

Kamikaze is a sacrificial name. It means to sacrifice oneself for another, particularly in battle. he paused, only a moment, unsure if he wanted to explain the rest. But after only a few moments to try and quiet the voices that were already rising with screams in his mind, the small wolf continued, My father's name was Kismet, meaning an unavoidable destiny. When I was first born, I was the spitting image of my father, besides my tail tip, Kaze swished his tail forward so Kujo could see the tip of his tail that faded to black from white. So my father immediately wanted me to have a 'K' name, after him. He chose 'Kamikaze' because it is related to fate, or destiny, which is similar to his own name.

Despite his best efforts, tears welled up in his eyes.

He used to pull me aside sometimes, and teach me to be a gentleman like him.

Kaze's voice quieted at this last sentence, and he had to glance away from Kujo's emerald eyes for a moment. Forcefully, he stopped his own crying, and tried desperately to push away the voices that were now rising steadily in his head. It was worth it, he thought, as he heard his sister scream. I could answer one question almost normally. Almost. Trying to mask the fact that an episode was rising, and desperately trying to supress it, Kaze turned back to Kujo, and a smile easily rose. He tried to focus on the good. He had met an actual creature. This creature looked almost identical to him. This creature also possessed a 'K' name, was male, and was a very similar age. A few months older. This male had been quite tense and afraid, and was now smiling, sitting, and chatting with him. Focus. Focus on the positive. Quiet, Kayi, I can't think. Focus. He hoped that Kujo would distract him, but he also couldn't rely on that. There was no way for the other male to even know what was happening to him, and that's if he knew anything was happening. From the way he had acted, Kaze would have been shocked to learn the Kujo knew that you even could have voices in your head.

words eight.four.six
tags Kujo
ooc sorry for the wait, love<3 I hope it's worth it c: I loved your reply by the way, and I love how Kujo's and Kaze's tables sort of match

[Deleted]

Kujo's smile was still present as Kamikaze spoke about the meaning of his name. He said that it was a sacrificial name, and it was about sacrificing oneself for another, especially in battle.  Kujo smiled softly at the meaning, and he thought that it was a beautiful one. "It has a beautiful meaning." Kujo then heard the male talking about his father, but something peculiar piked the interest of the creamy white wolf--he talked about him in a past tense. Kujo's head tilted slightly, listening to what the other was saying with all the attention of the world. He listened about how his father's name meant unavoidable destiny, which made Kujo's ears fold backwards a little bit.

What had happened to his father?

Kujo's eyes filled with sadness as he saw how Kamikaze's eyes began to get teary. For a moment there, Kujo's first instinct was to approach the male and sit beside him, to listen to him vent his troubles, and to tell him that he wasn't alone. But his body remained still just due to the fact that he did not want to scare the smaller male at all. His brotherly instincts took over him, taking a closer step towards the male slowly, his body posture as relaxed as possible. "Are you alright, Kamikaze?" he said, his eyes showing pure concern towards his mirrored image. What had happened to his father? Was he still alive? Had he disappeared? Was he... dead? Kujo gulped, eyes teared up when the thought of his own father dying. He couldn't even imagine it, and his heart began to beat hard in his chest. He could not loose him. His father was too special to him, and apparently, Kamikaze's father was special to him too. Standing still, he hoped that Kamikaze was truly alright. He did not want to see him cry...

@kamikaze Sorry for the wait hun! <3

[Deleted]

SPEECH.

It has a beautiful meaning.

Kamikaze's ears picked up the sound of Kujo's voice. His eyes caught the sight of his soft smile, and he was glad that Kujo seemed completely calm now. It was as if all thoughts of danger from Kaze had vanished, and Kaze was able to relax more because of that. He was able to act more natural, if you could call his awkward social behaviors normal. When Kaze spoke of his father, Kujo tilted his head slightly, and pinned his ears to his skull. It made Kaze pause; had he said something that upset the other male? But he couldn't focus on that at the moment, as he fought to suppress his rising episode. As Kaze looked away, trying to both stifle his tears and calm himself, Kujo stood and took a step closer. Kaze looked back to see him standing closer, concern and sadness in his eyes.

Are you alright, Kamikaze?

Kaze's throat closed up. His heart began to ache. He hadn't ever felt this pain. He had been filled with an adrenaline rush at the time of the incident, and had since then tried to bury it all within himself to keep from having an episode. He had never been able to actually feel the pain of losing his father. Or his mother...

Try as he might, the male's concern, and the fact that he had noticed how upset Kaze was only made it worse. Kaze tried to swallow hard to rid himself of the tears, but it only produced a choked sob. His episode continued to rise, and the voices began to yell at him, but for the first time, it didn't come fast enough to block out the pain. The slow pain. Kamikaze nodded his head very slightly at Kujo's question. Slowly, he choked back the tears enough to speak.

I-I'm fine, Kujo. Thank you. Just give me a moment, and I should be alright.

How could he burden a perfect stranger with his tragedy? He simply couldn't. He would never force that upon someone. It was a heavy burden to bear. Kamikaze was able to stifle his tears and sobs, and calm his heartbeat. Unfortunately, this quieting of his heart only strengthened his mind, and suddenly, the episode hit him full blast, whereas before it had only been creeping up on him. In an instant, the white wolf before him was replaced with a much larger, older white male. Three, long scars ran along one side of his body and his right forepaw bore a slight limp. But despite this, a fierce and dangerous snarl was plastered across his face.

Don't. You. Dare.

Kaze's body began to shake, and he blinked several times quickly, trying to expel the images. But they would not be quieted. They only grew worse.

Oh, you silly brute. Stupid child. We won't be leaving. How could you think such a thing? You couldn't make us leave if you begged. But you don't even ask. You only demand! Don't you know that fighting will only make us fight harder? Kamikaze, you idiot. We're your only friends. That's right, and we'll be friends for life. We're here to stay.

No! Stop! GO AWAY. Friends don't pester and force their way in!

Oh, and you'd know because you've had friends before us.

The pressure only worsened, and soon Kamikaze's entire body shook. He shut his eyes, trying to focus on something. Anything was better than what was reverberating around his skull. After a while, he opened his eyes and was able to somewhat focus on Kujo. In between flashes, he saw the male in front of him. He appeared...shocked? Terrified? Kamikaze wasn't sure. He could see him for long enough, and his brain wasn't clear enough to discern the emotion. Quietly, in a shaky voice, Kaze spoke.

I'm so sorry, Kujo. I just-- He paused as he watched his father die again, I just need some time. I'm sorry.

Turning quickly, Kaze fled the scene with haste. He couldn't see very well. His eyes weren't very focused and he nearly ran into a tree on several occasions. At one point, he missed a tree so closely, that an outhanging branch snagged his coat, cutting his skin. He screamed aloud, as the pressure in his head increased. And suddenly, completely blind, he smashed headlong into a tree. Immediately, he lost consciousness. But it was sweet.

Calm from the bitter torment.

words seven.three.three
tags Kujo
ooc lol sorry, the post kinda ran away from me (as usual), which means my muse was good x3 this thread just advanced a lot faster than I thought it would. If you want Kujo to chase after him, go for it c: but if not, they can meet again later, and their next thread can be Kaze explaining. <3 He'll be so touched by Kujo remembering and being concerned that he'll tell him.

[Deleted]

Kujo's thoughts were locked on Kamikaze's body language, his mind trying to decipher what was going on inside the stranger's mind. His ears were standing, but they were slowly receding as he saw how the male in front of him began to crumble and break right before his eyes. Kujo's eyes were filled with concern, and his legs carried him a step closer to Kamikaze--his mouth was opened, as if trying to mutter words, but he couldn't speak. "I-I'm fine, Kujo. Thank you. Just give me a moment, and I should be alright." Kujo's head tilted at the sound of Kamikaze's breaking voice, but before he could speak, the ghostly wolf that mirrored his appearance had already apologized and ran away, telling Kujo that he needed time.

In an instant, Kujo's reaction was to follow him. But his feet were still for a few seconds, trying to analyze what was going on. Snapping out of his trance, his head turned towards the direction that Kamikaze had ran off to. Using his nose to scan his scent, he kept running in the middle of the dark night, trying to find him. Minutes passed, and he stopped right in his tracks--he was getting too far away from home. He had forgotten he had to go back, since the night was beginning to clear up; the stars were still shining, but the first rays of the morning light began to shine through the ebony firmament.

Catching his breath, his eyes were scanning desperately for any signs of Kamikaze, but he had no luck--he had already disappeared, just like time when it passed quickly. Kujo's ears flattened against his skull, and with his head low, he began to walk back to his homeland. His mind was filled with preoccupation and worry for Kamikaze, his blue eyes still imprinted in his mind. He knew that where ever he went, if he ever found him again, he would ask him what had happened. He wanted to know him more and help him in any way--maybe he needed someone he could trust...

For a while, Kujo walked with his head low, but he lifted it up to smell his own scent so he could find his way back home. After a good amount of time, he saw the dens of his home in Airila. Walking among the sleeping wolves, he silently made his way to his favorite resting spot, curled up in a ball and closed his eyes. He could still see Kamikaze's face in his mind, trying to memorize it, hoping that he would see him again safe and sound some day. Sighing, he drifted off in peaceful slumber, as the birds began to sing their morning hymns.

THE END



@kamikaze