The sun had only just begun to sink to its slumber when the dark brute flickered his warm golden eyes closed. In only a few hours the bright eye of the sky that gave vision to all those beneath its light would have disappeared entirely, leaving the world in a cloak of black until morning came. There was one smell that infiltrated his nose, one smell that brought him an internal happiness that did not show physically except for a slight happy twitch in his feathered tail. He would fall asleep here, outside the healer’s den, in a spot that was away from the entrance but close enough so that the scents of the herbs were strong in his nostrils and could reach into his mind, pulling forth memories of one loved and unfortunately lost. It was an unusual habit of his, and one he did not often indulge in, but it brought him comfort on days when he missed her dearly and felt most lonely. Eclipse had several friends within the pack, but not a wolf that he could nuzzle up to and huddle within the shared heat that would be provided from their bodies. Only one wolf had given him those things, and what was more, taken his heart and showed him love. Now she was gone. So instead he clung on to her essence, in the form of seeking the fragrance that had constantly adorned her pelt. The aroma of healing plants was something he had always associated to Creek, as she worked with them so frequently every day to help save the lives of others that it seemed to forever mark her fur. So caring she was; he often wondered if she had known how much he had actually cared for her. Only now that he was unable to tell her did he regret never telling her how important she was to him, and how he would do anything for her. Why had she gone so soon? If only they were given more time together, he would have spent her final days proving it all to her and more. The brute sighed softly and curled his body tighter into itself, letting those thoughts slide until another day and instead eased his mind to drift away into pleasant dreams.

A period of time passed, though the wolf would not know how long exactly it had taken for him to begin to awaken. As his mind slowly came back to full consciousness, his dream began to slip out of his control and dissipate to nothing. Within his head he could see his late mate and two pups playing around the camp clearing and chasing each other, but as he woke up the sight of them faded and was replaced with the vision of reality given by his pair of golden eyes as they blinked open. He unfurled himself and gradually rolled to lay flat on his stomach, his head gently dropping to his two forepaws while his ears pinned against his head in woe and misery. How his true life now was so harsh and pitiful, and his dreams were paradise. Eclipse stared at some random point in the distance but his eyes were unseeing, they were blurry and unfocused on what he could see around him. The elite lay like this for a few more minutes before shutting his eyes tight and whining softly. He hated feeling like this, but just expressing his sadness with voice made it slightly easier to handle the pain, like a weight lifted from his chest. Keeping it all inside eventually was too much to bear. The whines began to get louder until he picked his head up and tilted it back, parting his maw and ever so quietly howling his sorrow into the evening air. He had felt the need to do that but he did not wish anyone else to hear it, because it was a pained song and he did not need others to worry for him. It was just a personal thing that had needed to be achieved; even though he kept a brave face, he was still recovering.

After a few long moments he closed his jaws and lowered his head before opening his eyes and standing up on his paws. Some dirt and dust had settled in his coat so he quickly shook that off and paused for a moment to gather where he was, and who he was. Turning slightly, he headed in the direction he knew would lead him away from the healer’s den to the main part of the camp clearing. As he walked along he took deep, steady breaths to calm his mind and try to return to the calm, thoughtful, happy Eclipse that everybody knew. His head and tail hung low but he forced himself to carry his head higher and relax his tail to sway with his movement. By the time he stepped out into the clearing he appeared fine and well to anyone who may have seen him, though there was still a blank look in his eyes. That was one thing he could not hide, those gold orbs always betrayed him by telling what he truly felt. Strangely there were no wolves about, or so it seemed to be the case as he looked around the dens. Silently he moved to make his way to his own place of rest, but stopped as he gazed to one of the dens elsewhere. He saw a movement and as he squinted his eyes he realized it was the wagging of a white tail. Taking a few steps closer, he soon saw the pale body attached to the appendage and identified the fae as being Warrior Rose, with a little assistance from his nostrils. He watched her for a moment, unsure if he was in the mood to talk, but also seeing if she needed any help with something. The dark brown brute was aware that she was able to get herself into trouble, hence how she got her injury, but mostly that she had seemed to be troubled lately. Perhaps there were things that she kept to herself, and it was even the reason why she had started a fight with the Erenyx wolf. Thoughts could cloud your mind and your ability to think clearly, he knew. He watched as she sat down and stared at the sky, seeming very pensive and confused, maybe even longing. He could not tell from where he was stood in a position far off to her right, and without talking to her; what was the use in guessing? Any which way, he would have to see if she was alright. The male padded towards her, not being all too quiet about it so she wouldn’t be surprised by his presence. “Rose.” He called gently, just enough to get her attention as he came to her side and sat beside her. His eyes also turned upward to follow her gaze as he craned his neck back, though the moon was nowhere to be seen. “The stars sure look beautiful tonight.”, he commented to start off the conversation. Tensing his foreleg muscles in order to hold his position, he looked to the female warrior. In her amber orbs he could see the reflection of the stars, they were that bright on that night. “Forgive me if you had wanted to be alone, but to me you seemed like you needed company. Is everything alright?” There was a genuine concern in his voice and he hoped she was comfortable with telling him if something was wrong. To him there was no shame in not always being okay, in not having a perfect life. If anything, he would know that more than most.

{OOC: Sorry it's short =p }

Even though she didn't look at him immediately, he did not look away from her. He watched her face with understanding eyes while she continued to focus on the night sky, noticing in the edge of his vision that her body trembled before she looked to him. Was she cold? Or afraid? No, she couldn't be. It was spring and the climate was easy enough for the wolves to cope with, and she had no reason to feel any fear now, especially not of him because he was her friend and she was safe with him and within their pack. As their gazes now fell upon each other he noticed something in her amber eyes, something that he didn't normally associate with the fae. Normally she seemed so soft and happy, but now all the brown brute could see was pure and solid sorrow. Though every wolf had a darker side and bad days. In a way he had expected it, as he had known from their time together at the lake that she had been reflecting on the bad things of her past. With this in mind, he nodded gently as she admitted to being out of character recently, silently assuring her that he knew what she was referring to and why she felt not at all like herself. “Well I am here for you to talk to, if I can offer myself as an ear to listen to anything you wish to say so that I might be able to hel-“. Eclipse stopped suddenly with widened eyes as the white female leant too far back to watch the stars once more and sent herself off balance, landing on the, fortunately, tender earth. A small smile grew on his maw initially, but he held back a laugh so as not to embarrass the female. However at her performance of impersonating a helpless marine reptile he finally unleashed a deep rumbling chuckle, not being able to suppress it.

As she pulled herself back up and returned to his side he was still grinning, his smile only faltering at the words she next spoke. Only then had he remembered how he had originally approached her because she had seem troubled, which she had confirmed to be true. Then he realized how he had actually been feeling quite lonely and awful himself not long before, but how she had made that melt away as quickly as a winter snowflake when the glaring sun of spring came. He looked to her and nodded his dark head, ears tugging back a little as if they strained to rest flat atop his head but he didn't allow them to; he wouldn't let those feelings consume him again. "I understand you, Rose. Missing loved ones is bound to happen, it's natural to grieve the loss of things that you've accepted as dear parts of your life. But you see, those questions that nobody can answer, there's a reason. Sometimes there is no answers to give, because there is no greater explanation for whatever it is you are questioning. The loss of your pack from disease, it was no wolf's fault. Especially not yours. Who had lived and who had died you will never know, and so all you can do is appreciate the time you had with them, looking at it from a positive view. Think of everything you learned with them and how they added to your life. By leaving them behind you are not failing them, but instead proving that they were great enough to make you into an intelligent and strong wolf, one who could risk venturing out alone in order to survive. That takes audacity and courage." By now his focus had turned to the celestial lights again, their brightness always seeming to capture and hold his attention. After a few seconds of pausing and thinking over the things he had learned from personal experience, he added, "The reason you are wandering from the pack at night is to attempt to escape your thoughts that weigh you down, but you must realize that your salvation from them actually lies right here. Making new friends and working in Helidos will relieve you from looking back on the past and will bring new purpose and positivity to your life. You already have one new friend, me. Isolating yourself makes it that much worse and will drive you insane. Trust me, I know. I've been there."

With that said his maw closed to silence and he concentrated on a single star up above, his jaws subconsciously clenched tightly together. The Elite fought so hard to keep his own memories and past out of the situation so that he could help Rose, but empathy always broke the barriers and made it all flood back to the surface of his memory. Thankfully the silence was broken by the fae as she asked him something. He perked his ears slightly and twisted his head to look down at her with his eyes that regarded her gently. Her curiosity brought a tilted smile to his maw as it was a good thing to want to gain knowledge. He could tell her mind was always ticking and it interested him. "You might think so, but actually the stars are not bright enough. The shadows you see are indeed caused by the moon." Eclipse extended his head to the level of her cheek and softly used his muzzle to turn her head, directing it to a south-westerly direction that was out of her visual range before. That was where the moon floated, alone. As he did so he could smell her feminine scent so strongly from her pelt, and it was comforting to him. Pulling his muzzle away from her fur a second later, he broke the contact between them and looked to her. "Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there." As he studied her this time it was if he were seeing her for the first time all over again. The male felt like only now he was getting to see her for who she truly was. At such close proximity he could see each variation of pigment in her coat, including the small flecks of black mingling amongst the hairs that he had not noticed before. Her mellow orange eyes were also very pretty, innocent but deep and meaningful. All in all he found himself in unvoiced admiration of her, but quickly grew ashamed of that realization and looked down, shuffling his paws and adjusting his tail around his haunches. "Umm, I've been here for some time now. Well actually, I had lived three summers when I arrived and now I have reached five. So it has been two years. Whoa..." Honestly he wasn't sure if it had felt so long or not that long at all. So much had changed in that time that it could have felt much longer than two two years, but it had happened so rapidly nonetheless. "You've been here a few months now, right? He questioned as he slowly looked back to her, keeping his gold gaze fixed on hers with keen interest.

Eclipse was glad to be able to help the fae whose name was that of a flower associated with love, even if it had meant him seeming like quite the bore but he had only the best intentions in his words of wisdom. The thought of her suffering alone with all her feelings kept hidden inside did not sit well with him so he only wanted to show his support for her, and at least let her know he was open to discussing the deep and personal matters if ever she should need to. He feared that sometimes the kind wolf put on a smile when really she was not happy and fine, but he could only hope that she trusted him enough as her friend that she could be her true self and not bury anything from his knowledge. As he looked to Rose now he thought of how his role had reversed within the two years of being in the pack, developing from being the simple Hunter who had taken advice from an Elite to now being an Elite advising a Warrior. For a moment he thought it strange how far he had come to be able to hold the position as the best fighter within Helidos, but all he knew was that he was strong and had a fighting spirit to persevere through the roughest of storms. With that mindset he had overcome several testing trials and no doubt he would continue to do so, to protect his pack, until the day came when his faithful heart no longer beat in his chest. Still watching the white warrior quietly, his mind soon refocused on what had been happening and he felt himself missing the touch he had shared with the fae a few moments before. It had been only a simple, gentle action to show her that the moon was at her back, yet he had felt such a blissful thrill from it, making his fur tingle as if he had been struck by lightning and he felt as warm and shocked as such. The deep brown male surmised it to be due to the lack of companionship and affection he had received since losing his family, that would explain it. Surely that was the reason he longed for closeness with the other.

With a blink of an eye, Eclipse tried to not show his embarrassment at them both having been staring at one another, and instead listened to what she had to say about herself and joining the wolves here. As she pointed to the location of her den he turned his head to follow, noting which den was hers should he need or want to pay a visit in future. Then he felt her gaze on him and looked to her as she smiled, having described how she had met him. He simpered in return and continued to listen to her, ears perking to their full extent with interest as she went into detail about the situation with the Erenyx wolf. Only once she had finished did he begin. "Seems to me your very introduction to the pack was an eventful one, entering at the time of a storm, and you have caused quite the storm since, with your great attitude in the pack and befriending many already, as well as your little scuffle with that brute." He chuckled. "It was an honourable thing of you to try and help his reputation, indeed. But may I suggest not repeating that, it does not give ourselves much of a good impression, nor will it always end so well. However, I do apologise if that was your plan all along, I just saw you in trouble on the verge of the ledge and felt sure I had to intervene." He watched curiously as she moved away, wondering what she was doing. She seemed happy, but he squinted his eyes and tilted his head, arching one brow slightly. Then she ducked suddenly into a play-bow, taunting him as well. In response he just smirked. "Yes. But not frequently." He replied. "I have too many responsibilities to be acting like a pup." He kept his voice formal, tricking her to think he would not join her game while she enticed him with pouncing around. Struggling to hold in a laugh, he watched the bright bugs that released into the night instead, his eyes watching in awe for a moment before he looked to the female with just as much admiration with the way she looked, her happiness and the fireflies on her fur creating a magical scene. But then she shook them off and he watched as some flew up and away while others settled on the grass again, purposely not looking at her to catch her off-guard while the playful adrenaline started in his body. Then a moment later he stood up and launched forward in one quick motion, barreling into her flank to knock her over onto her side while simultaneously wrapping his paws around her and using the momentum and a twist with his strength to roll them over so she did not land hard onto the ground. In doing so he ended up underneath her and took the force of her landing on him, but then quickly rolled them one more time so he was on top and he stood over her, pinning her by the chest while his eyes like honey, soft and brimming with warmth, stared down to her and his furry tail swayed behind him. There was just a hint of pup-like mischief in his gaze. "That is what I call the Total Eclipse manoeuvre!" He chortled and gently bit her ear, tugging it slightly. He forgot about everything else right then and only thought about the present, and he was enjoying it.

It truly had been quite a while since he had enjoyed himself, and really there was no better wolf right now that he could be playing around and having fun with. He was thrilled and felt accomplished at his plan working; his uninterested and aloof façade had been acted well to make her not suspect him tackling her, all in good fun of course. Rose’s amber eyes were wide when he looked to her, tail still wagging happily behind him as he held onto her ear, clearly shocked but her giggle proved that she had taken it well with the humor of the situation and was not at all angry at him so abruptly, and fair to say quite roughly, pinning her down. A grin was permanently plastered on his maw as he released her ear, only for her to tug his as he lifted his head. He playfully narrowed his eyes and flicked his ear away from the grip of her teeth with a soft chuckle. But he knew she was a warrior, a little one but yet a very determined one, and she remembered her defences and pinned her snow white ears back against her head to be tucked out of harm’s way. Her little laughs made his tail wag just a little bit faster, glad that the fae he considered his good friend was happy. Eclipse’s furry brows rose slightly as she tilted her head, thinking, and he wondered what she was thinking. The brute shifted his weight on his paws so as to lean into his hind legs and not pin the female so much, and he could feel the white one’s cold paws pressed to his chest. His gold eyes strayed to look at her paws and he smiled softly while listening to her words about what he had just done and how she found it amusing. Looking to her as she nosed his paw, he laughed quietly and leaned his muzzle closer to gently lick her charcoal nose. Seeing that she was comfortable with him stood over her like this showed that she trusted him, and he was ever so grateful for that, to have found a friend in her.

It ended soon however, as to his surprise the fae swept his legs out from beneath him and had him pinned as she had been before. As he fell down a slight ‘oof’ left his maw but he quickly smiled and growled playfully as she swiped her tongue under his chin. “Tipsy Rose, hmm? I see…” He chortled again and nipped her muzzle as she rested on him. Then, as he looked to her he knew the little white wolf had captured a piece of his heart, much like Nnlya had, and Aurora and Jackle. Yet another he would consider like blood brethren to him, perhaps a sister or close cousin. It made him feel warmer inside at the thought, and he imagined a ray of light above her head like that which filtered through this very clearing on a summer morning. Her presence was a savior, and he hoped that his wise words earlier had helped her because seeing her today had surely helped him. This time he would do things right for his family, he would keep them close and protected. As long as he could help it, nothing would hurt or bother Rose, he made that silent promise to himself to be her guardian. So far, he seemed to have done a decent job of that.

Now that she had moved off him, he still did not move and rested on his back quietly, paws tucked up close to his chest. The thoughts of his family caused him to shut-off somewhat, making him seem like a pup as he laid there trying to defend himself from his own thoughts and just watching the glowing bugs around him. But then he heard movements and rolled onto his side just as Rose pounced over the grass and pinched his chest with her teeth. A smile slowly spread over his maw and he remembered that they were playing and he had been joyful. He rushed up onto his paws and bounded after her, teasingly biting and tugging her tail or fur and batting her with his paws as they played for a few minutes. He tried to stay quiet as some were sleeping in their dens, but at the same time he was enjoying this great moment and thought the two deserved some fun after all they had been through. If he needed to he would take the reprimands of grumpy wolves later. Eventually they were tired and he flopped down to the ground, head on his paws. A little smirk still remained as he watched the other leap around trying to shake the bugs from her pelt. She managed to rid them and they moved to the ground, some landing on his paws and face but he simply furrowed his brows and stared them down, snorting as one crawled onto his nose. He looked up quickly as he heard Rose growl, but only saw her trying to shake a lightning bug from her paw. Both the bug and the wolf were determined but the wolf won as the bug flew away in a very weird fashion. “I do believe you made it dizzy.” Grinning, he looked to the warrior and then continued watching it fly away. Slowly, he belly crawled forward and made the bugs on the ground scatter to the sky in a fantastic display. He was tired enough and at peace now that he could rest. A gentle yawn left his maw and he rolled onto his side, nestled in the grass and watching the few bugs left mingling in the air. Breathing a happy sigh, he spoke to Rose with a soft, tired voice. “I think I shall just sleep here, it’s quite charming out here when the bugs are out. Wherever you choose to sleep, your den or elsewhere, I hope you rest well.” Tail flicking against the ground, he stretched with a slight whine and settled comfortably in the clearing.