The full moon shone it's bright beams down upon a world of a leaf strewn land. The stars added their lights as well for any passerby to thread their way through the trees that were starting to turn colors All was silent in this world, but for the soft calling chirps of crickets talking to one another. Even the wings of an owl were silent as it flew overhead, searching for a meal to fill its stomach. Skunks, frogs, and squirrels were all getting ready for their long winter sleep and ignored the heavy paws that trotted on their way.

They made a shishing sound as they plodded steadily through the dried leaf covered ground not knowing where they were going but just taking their owner away from painful memories. The memories persisted though, following him wherever he went for the past few days. They swirled inside him like a flock of raven and crows that searched for a carcass to feed upon. Timber's puppyhood flashed before his minds eye and he watched as the puppy that was he, bully his four younger siblings, making them cry out in pain if he got carried away in play. His feet kept plodding along, taking him down into a gully.

Fast forward, and he saw himself as a yearling stalking his youngest sibling, a sister, as she gave chase to a hare. He had watched as she snapped it up into her jaws with blurring speed and give her head a violent shake, effectively cutting off its screams of pain. Saliva had dripped from his open maw, tonunge lolling out the side as he had gazed with anticipation of an easy meal. He snuck up behind her down wind and with a snarl that had surprised her into dropping her prize, lunged. He had clamped his ivories into the skin on the back of her neck, his snarl vicious as he yanked her over, pinning her to the leafy ground. She had whimpered pathetically and had remained still, laying there submissively, for she had been a very timid and shy young wolf. He had released her and then snapped up her prized, taking it to a secluded spot away from prying eyes as he watched his sister slink away.

Fast forward again and the last night with his pack came into focus. Timber watched in his minds eye, the confrontation between his father, the alpha, and himself. Heard the words crack out like thunder, that he was banished from the pack and if he tried to come back he would be shown no mercy. Timber had limped away into the darkness that night, allowing it to swallow him into its black depths.  He shook his head to dislodge the visions as his paws moved faster, trying to out distance the next vision that his paws remembers.

These paws had had a companion, but alas, she was no more. She had lost her life to a crazed mountain lion, his Shadow, his love. The male wolf, whose paws carried him far from the place where she had lost her life not six sun risings ago, felt consumed with grief. He felt more grief in that moment than when he had been banished by his Alpha. She had been the first wolf in two years with whom he had been willing to be with. Of course there had been other wolves Timber had crosses paths with but none had ended on a happy note, either fights or long chases of escape. When he had crossed paths with this dark fae  he had been excited at the prospect of starting a pack of his own with her by his side, and it took very little convincing. But it had all been ripped away from him in just a few short months by one large crazed cat of a golden hue.

Her loss was a devistating blow to his heart and it had awoken a deep seething anger that had been but a spark in his puppyhood and he had wanted to seek his revenge on the creature who had stolen his companion away from him. After a couple of days he had realized his folly of revenge on the creature who would surely have torn him apart like it had done to his Shadow. "Forgive me my folly, Shadow" he beseeched his deceased companion, "I will not do so again."  His tongue lolled out from between his jaws, and he kept moving until he was out of the gully.

Hunger gnawed at his insides, but he ignored it's persistent grumbling growls. He had not eaten since that fateful day of the loss of his companion, to filled with grief to concentrate on hunting. Soon Timber found himself in a wooded area that had a few leaves still attached to some trees, all dried from the weather. They clacked against one another in the night's breeze. The wind ruffled his thick pelt but he didn't feel it much. The moon went dark as a cloud scudded in front of it, blocking its light and throwing the land in almost pitch blackness but for the stars. Only a moment passed and it soon bathed its light once more upon the lone male who trudged his way to a path that his destiny may lay on. A stronger breeze picked up and tossed the dried leaves to and fro, but that wasn't all it did. Scents of other wolves caught at Timber's twitching nose, making him stop in his tracks while the wind continued to blow their scents of a pack in his direction. Overcome with curiosity, Timber walked forward until he came to the border of the territory. The dark night's silence was broken as he let out a soft woof raising his hackles. A scent lingered around the boarder that made him very nervous and a little hesitant. It smelled of a male. Not sure if he wanted to proceed and die for breaching the boundary or if he wanted entrance into a pack once again, Timber hesitated.

He thought of Shadow, his companion and what she would do in his place and knew he had the answer. She would seek admittance. A sharp gust blew over him, dislodging a leaf so that it alighted upon the ground before him with its tip pointing the way into the territory. He stared at it, was compelled forward, and sniffed it. To his surprise it smelled so strongly of Shadow that he backed away. He looked at the leaf then turned his gaze up to the star studded sky, brightly lit by the moon. "Is this your sign for me my love?" He asked the heavens. He took a deep steadying breath to strengthen his resolve, opened his great maw and let out a beckoning howl, long and loud enough that it echoed around him off the trees to carry outward to summon someone to the border.

When he finished he trotted to a tree a few feet away from the boundary walking around it to pick the perfect spot. When he found what he was looking for he sat there. His head held high, eyes alert and his ears forward. He awaited a pack member to come. Hoping he was ready to face whatever lay ahead. He shook his head to dislodge a small swarm of mosquitoes as they dove and bumped at his head. They went for his ears, crawling through his fur to get at his warm blood.

Eyes seemed to peer out at him every time he turned his head to scan the pale darkness of the land. Scanning for the unsuspected or unprotected. He thought about the sign that he had received from his former mate. Was it really a sign? Or just his imagination running from him? He waited it seemed, an eternity for a set of eyes to appear, bobbing with a step. His hackles raised, but he didn't voice the growl that was caught in his throat and wanting to come out. She came from the shadows of the trees, her orbs glaring at him as her black pelt blended in with the night. In the moon's glow he saw her tail raise up high over her back, teeth showed. From her stance it was unmistakeable that this fae was of high ranking, but he would not beg for acceptance. He had seen it to many times before and he would not lower himself to begging. He did however, have to submit a bit. He heard her snarl at him, as if he had awakened her from a delightful dream and wanted to beat him for it. Well princess, I am sorry to disturb your beauty sleep. He thought to himself.

Timber lowered himsel before her, his belly nearly touching the ground but not quite. He did pin his ears back and lowered his gaze to rest on her feet. His tail remaining behind him. Ah, delta Ariste. His thought continued when she named herself and her status. Her voice betrayed nothing but he gave a quick glance over her form, noting that she was a bit impatient. "Good evening delta Ariste, I am Timber. I have traveled far in seeking a home. May I inquire as to the name if these lands and if there is room enough for another?" His voice was low and calm as he spoke, and he held his tongue from voicing a smart comment.  To do so would surly get him denied entrance into her pack, so he kept his mouth shut. He listened to the hooting of an owl, and saw its dark shape blot out a patch of stars as it flew overhead when he glanced back up at the dark female. He quickly looked away, but not before he saw fire in her glare.